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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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. chair — a professorship
  5. mark — a grade
  6. court — of law
  7. court — for sport
  8. spell — letters
  9. pass — a permit
  10. mark — a trace
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. fork — in a road
  13. spell — magic
  14. root — of a plant
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. root — of a word
  17. rush — hurry
  18. root — the cause
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. chair — a leader
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. court — of a king

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