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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 belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. The ball is in your ________________.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. club — a group
  3. root — of a word
  4. court — for sport
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. rush — hurry
  7. rest — what's left
  8. club — for golf
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. spell — magic
  11. spell — letters
  12. rest — what's left
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. rest — a break
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. court — of law
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. spell — a short time
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. court — of a king
  23. root — of a plant
  24. club — for dancing

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