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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. Have you settled on a ________________?
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. bark — to shout
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. root — of a word
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. root — the cause
  7. root — of a plant
  8. prune — to trim
  9. prune — to trim
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. date — the fruit
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. pit — a hole
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. court — for sport
  20. court — of law
  21. deal — to handle
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. pit — in a race
  24. court — of a king

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