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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. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. Have you settled on a ________________?
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. court — for sport
  6. root — of a plant
  7. court — of a king
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. root — of a word
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. chip — to eat
  12. rock — a stone
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. date — the fruit
  15. foot — a measure
  16. chip — for betting
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. rock — music
  19. court — of law
  20. staff — employees
  21. root — the cause
  22. staff — a stick
  23. staff — employees
  24. chip — in a computer

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