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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.

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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
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: court · ground · file · pass · root · spell · stick · rush

  1. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. spell — a short time
  4. court — of a king
  5. court — of law
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. court — for sport
  9. file — a document
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. ground — a position
  12. file — a line of people
  13. root — the cause
  14. spell — letters
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. spell — magic
  17. root — of a plant
  18. ground — the earth
  19. root — of a word
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. pass — a permit
  22. rush — hurry
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. ground — crushed

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