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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: fall · game · stick · ball · court · season · mouse · bowl

  1. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. fall — the season
  3. ball — a dance
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. court — for sport
  6. fall — to drop
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. season — in sport
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. fall — to drop
  11. game — wild animals
  12. season — of the year
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. game — a match
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. court — of a king
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. court — of law
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. ball — a great time
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. bowl — to roll

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com