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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.

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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: pitcher · track · lie · ball · stick · can · court · rest

  1. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. court — of law
  3. track — a song
  4. can — a tin
  5. court — of a king
  6. rest — what's left
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. can — to be able to
  9. court — for sport
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. ball — a dance
  13. rest — a break
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. lie — to recline
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. can — a tin
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. track — a path
  23. rest — what's left
  24. ball — a great time

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