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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: lie · ball · pit · field · perch · pitch · court · bank

  1. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. bank — of a river
  3. pitch — completely
  4. field — a subject
  5. court — for sport
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. court — of law
  10. ball — a dance
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. lie — to recline
  15. pit — a hole
  16. bank — for money
  17. field — for sport
  18. perch — the fish
  19. pit — in a race
  20. bank — for money
  21. ball — a great time
  22. field — farmland
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. pitch — a sports field

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