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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. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. rock — a stone
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. court — of law
  5. pass — a permit
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. rash — a series
  8. rock — music
  9. court — for sport
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. present — the time now
  12. kick — in football
  13. firm — a company
  14. present — a gift
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. present — there
  19. pitch — completely
  20. firm — steady
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. rash — hasty
  24. firm — decided

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