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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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468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: kick · plane · bound · pit · saw · root · court · object

  1. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. The ball is in your ________________.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  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. object — to protest
  2. saw — the tool
  3. object — a thing
  4. court — for sport
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. bound — obliged
  8. root — of a word
  9. pit — in a race
  10. kick — in football
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. pit — a hole
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. root — the cause
  15. plane — a tool
  16. court — of law
  17. object — an aim
  18. root — of a plant
  19. bound — tied together
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. bound — certain
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. saw — the tool
  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