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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 ball is in your ________________.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  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. court — for sport
  2. root — the cause
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. court — of law
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. rock — music
  9. net — for catching
  10. net — after costs
  11. root — of a word
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. wound — an injury
  14. root — of a plant
  15. rock — a stone
  16. wound — an injury
  17. net — in sport
  18. court — of a king
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. charge — a price
  22. charge — electricity
  23. rock — to move gently
  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