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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: suit · spring · rest · charge · game · ball · bowl · stand

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. game — wild animals
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. charge — a price
  7. charge — in control
  8. rest — what's left
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. rest — a break
  11. spring — of water
  12. ball — a dance
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. charge — electricity
  15. game — a match
  16. ball — a great time
  17. spring — a coil
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. suit — clothes
  20. spring — the season
  21. rest — what's left
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. suit — in cards
  24. stand — to bear

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