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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 120 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: charge · kick · coach · ball · arm · file · temple · court

  1. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. court — of law
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. file — a line of people
  6. charge — a price
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. file — a tool
  10. file — a document
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. court — for sport
  15. charge — electricity
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. ball — a great time
  19. court — of a king
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. charge — in control
  22. ball — a dance
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. kick — a thrill

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