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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: safe · kick · court · rest · root · wound · tube · roll

  1. The ball is in your ________________.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. court — for sport
  2. root — the cause
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. root — of a plant
  6. wound — an injury
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. roll — a list
  9. tube — a container
  10. court — of a king
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. court — of law
  13. kick — in football
  14. rest — what's left
  15. roll — a cake
  16. rest — a break
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. rest — what's left
  21. wound — an injury
  22. tube — the underground
  23. root — of a word
  24. safe — a strongbox

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