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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. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  19. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  20. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. court — of a king
  5. object — an aim
  6. swing — in golf
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. object — a thing
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. court — for sport
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. root — of a word
  15. object — to protest
  16. root — of a plant
  17. court — of law
  18. wind — moving air
  19. wind — moving air
  20. wind — to turn a key
  21. swing — music
  22. vault — a safe
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. swing — to play on

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