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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. The ball is in your ________________.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. ball — a great time
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. court — for sport
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. court — of law
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. court — of a king
  9. ball — a dance
  10. key — for a lock
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. pitch — completely
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. key — in music
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. key — the most important part
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. chair — a leader
  24. chair — to sit on

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