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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: ball · lash · can · toast · court · craft · roll · stem

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. ball — a dance
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. can — to be able to
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. craft — a skill
  10. stem — to come from
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. ball — a great time
  13. can — a tin
  14. craft — boats
  15. roll — a list
  16. roll — a cake
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. court — for sport
  20. court — of law
  21. can — a tin
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. court — of a king
  24. toast — bread

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