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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 116 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
468
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: field · rash · ball · charge · racket · key · perch · court

  1. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  11. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. ball — a dance
  3. charge — in control
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. ball — a great time
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. key — the most important part
  9. perch — the fish
  10. field — for sport
  11. field — farmland
  12. court — of law
  13. rash — hasty
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. charge — a price
  16. key — for a lock
  17. charge — electricity
  18. court — for sport
  19. key — in music
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. field — a subject
  22. rash — a series
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. ball — a round shape

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