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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. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. branch — a division
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. pass — a permit
  5. court — for sport
  6. spring — of water
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. court — of law
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. sharp — clever
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. spring — the season
  15. stand — to bear
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. spring — a coil
  22. pitch — completely
  23. court — of a king
  24. pass — to succeed

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