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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 ball is in your ________________.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. court — for sport
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. squash — to crush
  6. court — of law
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. kick — in football
  10. bound — obliged
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. bound — certain
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. pitch — completely
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. squash — the sport
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. bound — tied together
  22. court — of a king
  23. vault — a safe
  24. pass — a permit

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