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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: bay · staff · wave · root · game · roll · court · lie

  1. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. lie — to recline
  3. roll — a cake
  4. staff — a stick
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. root — of a word
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. court — for sport
  10. root — the cause
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. staff — employees
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. court — of law
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. court — of a king
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. staff — employees
  20. game — a match
  21. roll — a list
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. game — wild animals
  24. game — a kind of play

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