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

Word bank: last · race · deal · court · racket · coach · root · lie

  1. The ball is in your ________________.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. court — for sport
  2. deal — to handle
  3. race — the arms race
  4. root — the cause
  5. race — humankind
  6. root — of a plant
  7. lie — to recline
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. race — a contest
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. last — finally
  15. root — of a word
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. court — of law
  20. last — to go on
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. court — of a king
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. last — final

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