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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.

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: temple · rash · root · wax · court · march · saw · racket

  1. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. rash — a series
  3. root — of a plant
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. wax — to grow
  7. march — the month
  8. saw — the tool
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. court — of law
  11. march — music
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. root — the cause
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. rash — hasty
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. root — of a word
  20. saw — the tool
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. march — the month
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. court — for sport

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