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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 ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. fork — in a road
  5. root — of a plant
  6. court — of a king
  7. wound — an injury
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. rest — what's left
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. rest — a break
  13. board — to get on
  14. court — for sport
  15. board — a committee
  16. snap — to click
  17. root — of a word
  18. rest — what's left
  19. root — the cause
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. wound — an injury
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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