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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.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. root — the cause
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. charge — in control
  6. charge — a price
  7. court — of a king
  8. root — of a word
  9. root — of a plant
  10. pit — in a race
  11. charge — electricity
  12. current — happening now
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. pit — a hole
  15. sharp — clever
  16. current — of water
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. ball — a dance
  19. court — for sport
  20. current — electric
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. court — of law
  24. bark — to shout

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