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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.

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: ball · can · court · squash · board · rest · rock · plane

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. rest — a break
  3. rock — a stone
  4. squash — to crush
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. court — of law
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. court — of a king
  9. can — to be able to
  10. rock — music
  11. rest — what's left
  12. ball — a great time
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. board — to get on
  16. rest — what's left
  17. can — a tin
  18. can — a tin
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. court — for sport
  21. squash — the sport
  22. plane — a tool
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. board — a committee

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