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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.

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: rule · calf · deal · field · ball · court · present · roll

  1. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. We're on a ________________ here.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. field — a subject
  2. court — of a king
  3. present — there
  4. deal — to handle
  5. roll — a list
  6. field — for sport
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. present — the time now
  9. field — farmland
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. ball — a great time
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. court — for sport
  16. court — of law
  17. rule — government
  18. ball — a dance
  19. rule — a law
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. present — a gift
  22. roll — on a roll
  23. roll — a cake
  24. calf — a young animal

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