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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: drill · rock · net · bowl · ball · bear · suit · court

  1. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. The ball is in your ________________.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. court — for sport
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. net — for catching
  5. drill — a practice
  6. bear — the animal
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. ball — a great time
  10. net — in sport
  11. court — of a king
  12. ball — a dance
  13. suit — in cards
  14. suit — clothes
  15. drill — the tool
  16. bear — the animal
  17. drill — army training
  18. rock — a stone
  19. court — of law
  20. net — after costs
  21. rock — music
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. suit — to fit
  24. rock — to move gently

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