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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. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  23. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. pit — in a race
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. court — of law
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. root — the cause
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. court — for sport
  13. field — a subject
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. pit — a hole
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. root — of a word
  21. court — of a king
  22. field — for sport
  23. field — farmland
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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