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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: pass · field · present · ball · wake · temple · charge · court

  1. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. charge — in control
  3. pass — a permit
  4. field — farmland
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. wake — a trail
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. field — for sport
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. present — a gift
  14. court — for sport
  15. court — of a king
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. field — a subject
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. charge — electricity
  20. court — of law
  21. present — the time now
  22. charge — a price
  23. ball — a dance
  24. ball — a great time

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