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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 need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. court — of a king
  5. root — of a word
  6. court — of law
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. season — in sport
  10. rock — music
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. court — for sport
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. season — of the year
  18. rock — a stone
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. root — the cause
  21. root — of a plant
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. snap — to click

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