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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 room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. court — of a king
  3. root — the cause
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. court — of law
  6. cue — a signal
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. root — of a word
  9. cue — for pool
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. spring — the season
  12. court — for sport
  13. pit — in a race
  14. wake — a trail
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. cue — a hint
  18. spring — of water
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. root — of a plant
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. spring — a coil
  24. pit — a hole

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