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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 · hide · stand · row · court · bass · fall · suit

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. court — of a king
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. court — of law
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. court — for sport
  8. ball — a dance
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. stand — to bear
  12. suit — in cards
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. suit — to fit
  16. row — a line
  17. fall — the season
  18. ball — a great time
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. row — to paddle
  21. suit — clothes
  22. fall — to drop
  23. fall — to drop
  24. bass — low music

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