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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. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. pass — a permit
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. ball — a great time
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. mark — a grade
  11. ball — a dance
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. court — for sport
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. court — of law
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. mark — a trace
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. game — wild animals
  21. game — a match
  22. court — of a king
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. calf — a young animal

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