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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 ball is in your ________________.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. Have you settled on a ________________?
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. court — for sport
  2. press — newspapers
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. press — a publisher
  5. press — to push
  6. root — of a word
  7. court — of law
  8. root — of a plant
  9. sharp — clever
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. date — the fruit
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. row — to paddle
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. row — a line
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. ball — a dance
  20. root — the cause
  21. court — of a king
  22. foot — a measure
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. ball — a great time

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