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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 ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. court — of a king
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. root — of a word
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. court — of law
  10. firm — decided
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. root — the cause
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. shower — rain
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. court — for sport
  18. firm — a company
  19. chair — a leader
  20. firm — steady
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. shower — to wash
  24. chair — a professorship

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