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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 120 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. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. root — of a plant
  3. field — for sport
  4. bass — the fish
  5. bass — low music
  6. mate — to breed
  7. pit — a hole
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. root — the cause
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. mate — a friend
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. court — for sport
  14. root — of a word
  15. field — a subject
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. field — farmland
  18. pit — in a race
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. court — of law
  21. mate — a partner
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. court — of a king
  24. vault — a safe

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