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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: pop · object · ball · spring · scale · cap · key · court

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. spring — a coil
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. object — an aim
  5. spring — of water
  6. pop — to visit
  7. cap — a hat
  8. spring — the season
  9. key — the most important part
  10. scale — size or range
  11. scale — in music
  12. key — in music
  13. court — of a king
  14. court — of law
  15. cap — of ice
  16. cap — a lid
  17. court — for sport
  18. key — for a lock
  19. ball — a great time
  20. object — to protest
  21. ball — a dance
  22. pop — soda
  23. pop — music
  24. object — a thing

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