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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. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. firm — decided
  3. drill — a practice
  4. swing — music
  5. firm — steady
  6. cue — a hint
  7. court — for sport
  8. drill — army training
  9. cue — a signal
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. root — the cause
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. cue — for pool
  14. firm — a company
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. drill — the tool
  17. root — of a plant
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. rule — a law
  20. swing — to play on
  21. swing — in golf
  22. root — of a word
  23. court — of law
  24. rule — government

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