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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. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. firm — decided
  4. root — the cause
  5. tube — a container
  6. fine — all right
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. pop — music
  9. root — of a plant
  10. sharp — clever
  11. firm — steady
  12. firm — a company
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. court — for sport
  15. tube — the underground
  16. fine — high quality
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. court — of a king
  21. pop — to visit
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. pop — soda
  24. root — of a word

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