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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. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. court — of law
  3. bank — for money
  4. root — of a word
  5. pop — music
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. bank — for money
  9. face — to point toward
  10. face — to confront
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. face — part of the head
  13. court — for sport
  14. root — of a plant
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. pop — to visit
  20. court — of a king
  21. bank — of a river
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. pop — soda
  24. root — the cause

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