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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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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: nail · ball · lie · bowl · court · stand · bear · race

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. court — of law
  6. lie — to recline
  7. stand — to bear
  8. ball — a great time
  9. bear — the animal
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. ball — a dance
  12. race — the arms race
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. bear — the animal
  20. race — a contest
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. court — of a king
  23. race — humankind
  24. court — for sport

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