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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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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: firm · hand · cap · leaves · court · root · charge · cue

  1. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. charge — a price
  3. firm — decided
  4. court — of a king
  5. charge — electricity
  6. root — of a plant
  7. court — of law
  8. cap — a lid
  9. cap — of ice
  10. hand — in cards
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. cue — for pool
  13. firm — steady
  14. root — of a word
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. court — for sport
  17. cue — a signal
  18. cap — a hat
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. root — the cause
  21. hand — help
  22. charge — in control
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. firm — a company

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