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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: ball · court · lie · charge · calf · mate · rock · coach

  1. The ball is in your ________________.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. court — for sport
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. ball — a dance
  5. court — of a king
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. mate — to breed
  11. ball — a great time
  12. lie — to recline
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. mate — a friend
  16. court — of law
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. charge — in control
  19. charge — electricity
  20. rock — music
  21. mate — a partner
  22. rock — a stone
  23. lie — an untruth
  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