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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. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. shower — rain
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. court — of law
  5. root — of a plant
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. court — for sport
  9. mug — to rob
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. mug — a cup
  12. mug — a face
  13. root — of a word
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. chip — for betting
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. root — the cause
  20. shower — to wash
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. chip — to eat
  24. ruler — a monarch

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