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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: fan · fall · court · root · game · press · trunk · ball

  1. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. The ball is in your ________________.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. press — newspapers
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. court — for sport
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. fall — to drop
  8. ball — a dance
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. root — of a plant
  11. court — of a king
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. press — to push
  15. root — of a word
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. fall — the season
  18. fall — to drop
  19. ball — a great time
  20. press — a publisher
  21. game — a match
  22. court — of law
  23. game — wild animals
  24. trunk — of a car

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