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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: court · stand · bowl · bass · trunk · pitcher · root · stick

  1. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. root — the cause
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. court — of law
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. court — of a king
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. court — for sport
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. root — of a word
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. root — of a plant
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. bass — low music
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. bass — the fish
  23. stand — to bear
  24. trunk — of a car

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