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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 120 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: bank · ball · spell · dip · court · present · arm · mug

  1. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. The ball is in your ________________.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. mug — to rob
  3. ball — a great time
  4. court — for sport
  5. court — of law
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. present — a gift
  10. present — the time now
  11. ball — a dance
  12. bank — for money
  13. spell — a short time
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. spell — letters
  16. dip — to sink
  17. bank — for money
  18. spell — magic
  19. present — there
  20. bank — of a river
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. mug — a cup
  23. court — of a king
  24. dip — to dunk

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