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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 120 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. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. ball — a dance
  3. mark — a trace
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. court — of law
  6. wound — an injury
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. wound — an injury
  10. root — of a word
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. court — for sport
  14. craft — a skill
  15. court — of a king
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. craft — boats
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. mark — a grade
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. ball — a great time
  23. root — the cause
  24. ruler — for measuring

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