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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: field · pound · club · court · pass · chip · calf · charge

  1. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. field — for sport
  6. club — for golf
  7. club — a group
  8. court — of law
  9. charge — in control
  10. chip — for betting
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. pound — a weight
  14. field — a subject
  15. court — of a king
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. charge — electricity
  18. pass — a permit
  19. chip — to eat
  20. court — for sport
  21. field — farmland
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. charge — a price

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