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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 ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  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 — of a plant
  2. kick — in football
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. court — of a king
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. court — of law
  10. bulb — for light
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. court — for sport
  13. bulb — for light
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. content — the amount
  21. root — the cause
  22. content — happy
  23. bulb — of a plant
  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