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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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. kid — to tease
  3. bear — the animal
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. court — of a king
  6. root — of a word
  7. charge — in control
  8. kid — child
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. foot — a measure
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. charge — electricity
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. chair — a leader
  15. root — the cause
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. plane — a tool
  18. court — for sport
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. charge — a price
  21. root — of a plant
  22. court — of law
  23. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  24. bear — the animal

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