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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. Have you settled on a ________________?
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. root — of a plant
  3. root — the cause
  4. rock — music
  5. object — an aim
  6. bat — the animal
  7. root — of a word
  8. bear — the animal
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. rock — a stone
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. bat — for baseball
  14. court — of law
  15. date — the fruit
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. bear — the animal
  18. object — to protest
  19. bat — in an idiom
  20. object — a thing
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. court — of a king
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. court — for sport

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