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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: spell · pass · jam · pitcher · swing · lie · court · field

  1. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. field — for sport
  4. spell — magic
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. field — a subject
  7. swing — music
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. court — of a king
  10. spell — a short time
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. swing — to play on
  13. spell — letters
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. field — farmland
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. swing — in golf
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. lie — to recline
  23. court — for sport
  24. pass — a permit

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