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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. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. The ball is in your ________________.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. suit — to fit
  3. charge — in control
  4. cue — for pool
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. court — for sport
  7. land — a country
  8. court — of law
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. land — to come down
  11. charge — electricity
  12. cue — a hint
  13. suit — in cards
  14. board — to get on
  15. suit — clothes
  16. land — ground
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. cue — a signal
  19. root — the cause
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. root — of a word
  22. board — a committee
  23. charge — a price
  24. court — of a king

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