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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.

Make a worksheet

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: ball · mark · kick · perch · mug · key · ground · court

  1. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. The ball is in your ________________.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  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 — with a leg
  2. mug — a cup
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. ball — a dance
  5. ground — the earth
  6. court — for sport
  7. key — for a lock
  8. perch — the fish
  9. mug — a face
  10. mark — a trace
  11. kick — in football
  12. ball — a great time
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. key — the most important part
  15. ground — a position
  16. ground — crushed
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. mug — to rob
  19. key — in music
  20. mark — a grade
  21. court — of law
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. court — of a king
  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