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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: mark · toast · court · object · root · fan · cell · rock

  1. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. He was locked up in a ________________.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. court — for sport
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. court — of a king
  6. rock — a stone
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. court — of law
  10. toast — bread
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. object — to protest
  14. root — of a plant
  15. mark — a trace
  16. cell — in a prison
  17. root — of a word
  18. root — the cause
  19. cell — a phone
  20. mark — a grade
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. rock — music
  23. object — a thing
  24. object — an aim

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