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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: court · ball · stick · scale · chair · vault · foot · ground

  1. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. court — of law
  4. court — of a king
  5. ball — a great time
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. ground — the earth
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. scale — size or range
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. vault — a safe
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. foot — a measure
  18. ground — crushed
  19. chair — a leader
  20. ball — a dance
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. ground — a position
  24. court — for sport

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