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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. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. The ball is in your ________________.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. court — of law
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. court — for sport
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. board — a committee
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. suit — to fit
  13. band — a music group
  14. root — of a plant
  15. board — to get on
  16. root — of a word
  17. suit — in cards
  18. band — a ring
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. root — the cause
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. suit — clothes

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