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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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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 · board · temple · spell · firm · mate · race · kick

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. board — a committee
  4. court — of a king
  5. kick — in football
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. spell — magic
  8. court — for sport
  9. spell — letters
  10. firm — steady
  11. firm — a company
  12. mate — a partner
  13. mate — to breed
  14. board — to get on
  15. mate — a friend
  16. race — a contest
  17. race — the arms race
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. race — humankind
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. court — of law
  24. firm — decided

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