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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: racket · kick · court · plane · ball · charge · cell · calf

  1. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. The ball is in your ________________.
  7. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. plane — a tool
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. court — for sport
  7. cell — a phone
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. court — of law
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. ball — a dance
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. kick — in football
  14. cell — in biology
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. court — of a king
  17. charge — a price
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. ball — a great time
  20. charge — electricity
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. charge — in control

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