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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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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. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. court — of a king
  3. season — of the year
  4. object — to protest
  5. root — of a plant
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. object — an aim
  8. club — for dancing
  9. can — a tin
  10. season — in sport
  11. root — the cause
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. can — a tin
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. club — a group
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. club — for golf
  19. can — to be able to
  20. court — for sport
  21. root — of a word
  22. lie — to recline
  23. rush — hurry
  24. object — a thing

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