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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: pass · bowl · firm · club · court · kick

  1. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. club — a group
  3. firm — a company
  4. court — of law
  5. court — of a king
  6. club — for golf
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. court — for sport
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. kick — in football
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. firm — steady
  14. club — for dancing
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. pass — a permit
  17. firm — decided
  18. pass — to spend time

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