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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. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. court — of law
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. court — of a king
  6. vault — a safe
  7. pitch — completely
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. root — the cause
  12. plane — a tool
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. root — of a plant
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. court — for sport
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. calf — of the leg

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