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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 120 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 · court · ground · straw · mug · chip · calf · stand

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. court — of a king
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. mug — a face
  5. court — for sport
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. ground — crushed
  8. mug — a cup
  9. court — of law
  10. chip — for betting
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. stand — to bear
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. chip — to eat
  20. mug — to rob
  21. pass — a permit
  22. ground — a position
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. ground — the earth

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