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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: firm · ball · coach · saw · content · bowl · court · pitch

  1. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. The ball is in your ________________.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. court — of law
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. court — for sport
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. firm — steady
  9. content — happy
  10. firm — decided
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. saw — the tool
  13. ball — a great time
  14. saw — the tool
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. ball — a dance
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. content — the amount
  19. firm — a company
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. court — of a king
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. pitch — completely
  24. coach — a trainer

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