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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: court · leaves · suit · bowl · lash · roll · stand · shower

  1. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. suit — to fit
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. suit — in cards
  5. roll — a list
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. suit — clothes
  9. court — of a king
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. shower — to wash
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. shower — rain
  15. court — for sport
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. stand — to bear
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. roll — a cake

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