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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. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. rock — a stone
  3. rock — music
  4. court — of law
  5. root — of a word
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. bore — to drill
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. root — of a plant
  12. charge — a price
  13. mark — a trace
  14. bore — to tire
  15. root — the cause
  16. mark — a grade
  17. court — of a king
  18. fork — in a road
  19. court — for sport
  20. charge — electricity
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. charge — in control

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