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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 116 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
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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: stick · pit · firm · court · shower · track · ball · key

  1. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. We took cover from the thunder ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. track — to keep track
  4. court — of a king
  5. pit — a hole
  6. key — the most important part
  7. court — of law
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. firm — decided
  10. track — a path
  11. shower — to wash
  12. key — for a lock
  13. key — in music
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. ball — a dance
  16. firm — a company
  17. firm — steady
  18. court — for sport
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. pit — in a race
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. track — a song
  24. shower — rain

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