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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: stand · court · roll · bowl · date · mouse · mate · swing

  1. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. roll — a list
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. mate — to breed
  7. mate — a partner
  8. stand — to bear
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. court — for sport
  17. date — the fruit
  18. swing — music
  19. roll — a cake
  20. court — of law
  21. swing — to play on
  22. mate — a friend
  23. swing — in golf
  24. mouse — the animal

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