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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 · jam · drill · calf · charge · swing · mate · court

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. court — for sport
  4. swing — to play on
  5. charge — in control
  6. charge — a price
  7. drill — army training
  8. mate — to breed
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. court — of law
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. drill — the tool
  16. charge — electricity
  17. drill — a practice
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. swing — in golf
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. swing — music
  22. mate — a friend
  23. court — of a king
  24. mate — a partner

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