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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: land · club · lash · stand · court · bowl · suit · snap

  1. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to snap out of it
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. club — a group
  4. stand — to bear
  5. land — to come down
  6. land — ground
  7. land — a country
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. suit — clothes
  10. court — for sport
  11. snap — to click
  12. club — for golf
  13. court — of law
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. court — of a king
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. suit — to fit
  22. club — for dancing
  23. suit — in cards
  24. bowl — a dish

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