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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 ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. court — for sport
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. rule — a law
  7. court — of a king
  8. bank — of a river
  9. spring — of water
  10. root — the cause
  11. bore — to drill
  12. spring — a coil
  13. rule — government
  14. root — of a word
  15. bore — to tire
  16. bank — for money
  17. root — of a plant
  18. band — a music group
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. band — a ring
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. bank — for money
  24. spring — the season

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