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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. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. present — a gift
  3. present — the time now
  4. dip — to sink
  5. net — for catching
  6. root — of a word
  7. court — for sport
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. root — the cause
  12. rule — a law
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. present — there
  15. court — of law
  16. rule — government
  17. lie — to recline
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. court — of a king
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. root — of a plant
  24. net — after costs

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