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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 116 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: deal · content · bass · court · spring · cabinet · stick · bowl

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. spring — of water
  3. court — for sport
  4. bass — low music
  5. court — of a king
  6. content — happy
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. bass — the fish
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. spring — a coil
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. spring — the season
  15. court — of law
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. content — the amount
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. deal — to handle
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. bowl — to roll

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