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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 ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. root — of a plant
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. bound — tied together
  6. race — humankind
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. bound — certain
  9. root — the cause
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. court — of a king
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. bound — obliged
  14. pass — a permit
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. race — the arms race
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. race — a contest
  19. root — of a word
  20. court — for sport
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. calf — of the leg

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