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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. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  13. He was locked up in a ________________.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  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. court — of law
  3. club — a group
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. game — wild animals
  6. cell — a phone
  7. root — of a plant
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. staff — a stick
  10. mate — a partner
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. cell — in biology
  13. cell — in a prison
  14. root — of a word
  15. court — of a king
  16. court — for sport
  17. club — for golf
  18. mate — to breed
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. game — a match
  21. staff — employees
  22. staff — employees
  23. mate — a friend
  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