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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: charge · firm · racket · branch · plane · court · club · field

  1. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. branch — a division
  5. charge — a price
  6. field — for sport
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. firm — decided
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. court — for sport
  12. club — for dancing
  13. club — a group
  14. firm — a company
  15. field — a subject
  16. plane — a tool
  17. charge — in control
  18. charge — electricity
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. field — farmland
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. court — of a king
  23. firm — steady
  24. club — for golf

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