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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. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. court — for sport
  4. court — of law
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. fall — to drop
  7. root — of a word
  8. root — of a plant
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. rest — a break
  15. root — the cause
  16. rest — what's left
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. foot — a measure
  19. rest — what's left
  20. fall — the season
  21. fall — to drop
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. fork — in a road

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