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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. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. mate — to breed
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. fine — all right
  6. root — of a word
  7. bulb — for light
  8. court — of law
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. mate — a friend
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. fine — high quality
  14. root — the cause
  15. craft — a skill
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. craft — boats
  18. bulb — for light
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. court — for sport
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. mate — a partner
  24. root — of a plant

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