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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: rash · suit · date · bowl · firm · court · charge · root

  1. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. charge — in control
  3. suit — in cards
  4. suit — to fit
  5. firm — decided
  6. suit — clothes
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. rash — hasty
  10. charge — a price
  11. root — of a word
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. charge — electricity
  14. firm — steady
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. court — for sport
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. court — of a king
  20. rash — a series
  21. root — of a plant
  22. root — the cause
  23. firm — a company
  24. date — the fruit

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