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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 124 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.

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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: rash · capital · rest · ball · cue · stem · bowl · court

  1. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  5. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  24. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. rest — what's left
  3. cue — for pool
  4. capital — money
  5. capital — a city
  6. rest — what's left
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. ball — a great time
  9. cue — a hint
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. ball — a dance
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. court — of a king
  14. cue — a signal
  15. stem — to come from
  16. court — for sport
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. rash — hasty
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. rash — a series
  22. rest — a break
  23. capital — a big letter
  24. court — of law

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