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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. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. court — of a king
  3. board — to get on
  4. ground — crushed
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. swing — music
  7. court — for sport
  8. club — for dancing
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. board — a committee
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. swing — to play on
  16. ground — the earth
  17. court — of law
  18. ground — a position
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. club — a group
  21. swing — in golf
  22. club — for golf
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. racket — for tennis

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