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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 120 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: sharp · dip · field · kid · root · rush · foot · court

  1. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  21. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. root — of a word
  4. dip — to sink
  5. court — of law
  6. kid — to tease
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. root — the cause
  9. root — of a plant
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. court — for sport
  13. sharp — clever
  14. field — farmland
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. field — a subject
  18. court — of a king
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. kid — child
  21. field — for sport
  22. rush — hurry
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. kid — young goat (kid gloves)

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