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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.

Make a worksheet

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. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. court — of law
  3. root — of a plant
  4. ground — the earth
  5. rash — a series
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. rash — hasty
  10. root — of a word
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. game — wild animals
  13. court — for sport
  14. game — a match
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. ground — a position
  17. vault — a safe
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. court — of a king
  20. root — the cause
  21. ground — crushed
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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