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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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: court · vault · ball · field · safe · racket · rush · stand

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. The ball is in your ________________.
  3. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. court — for sport
  3. field — for sport
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. court — of law
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. ball — a great time
  12. court — of a king
  13. field — a subject
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. field — farmland
  16. vault — a safe
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. stand — to bear
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. rush — hurry

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