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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. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. mine — for digging
  3. court — for sport
  4. cue — for pool
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. branch — a division
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. court — of law
  11. court — of a king
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. cue — a signal
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. root — of a plant
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. cue — a hint
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. root — of a word

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