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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 116 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.

Make a worksheet

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
468
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: key · mine · lie · suit · spring · chair · court · root

  1. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. root — of a plant
  4. spring — of water
  5. court — of law
  6. key — in music
  7. key — the most important part
  8. lie — to recline
  9. key — for a lock
  10. mine — for digging
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. spring — the season
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. suit — clothes
  15. root — of a word
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. court — for sport
  18. suit — in cards
  19. root — the cause
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. chair — a leader
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. spring — a coil
  24. suit — to fit

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