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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. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. rest — a break
  3. root — of a word
  4. file — a tool
  5. bark — to shout
  6. file — a document
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. file — a line of people
  9. court — of a king
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. bank — for money
  12. court — of law
  13. ball — a dance
  14. rest — what's left
  15. root — of a plant
  16. rest — what's left
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. ball — a great time
  20. court — for sport
  21. bank — for money
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. bank — of a river
  24. lie — to recline

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