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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.

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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 ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. court — of a king
  3. root — the cause
  4. court — of law
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. lie — to recline
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. branch — a division
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. root — of a plant
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. craft — boats
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. craft — a skill
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. pitch — completely
  23. court — for sport
  24. wave — with your hand

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