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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. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. stock — shares
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. saw — the tool
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. charge — a price
  8. saw — the tool
  9. root — of a plant
  10. root — the cause
  11. charge — electricity
  12. court — of law
  13. charge — in control
  14. root — of a word
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. stock — goods
  17. lie — to recline
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. deal — to handle
  20. court — for sport
  21. bear — the animal
  22. bear — the animal
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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