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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.

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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: calf · root · deal · shower · wake · court · plane · present

  1. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. deal — to handle
  4. wake — a trail
  5. court — for sport
  6. court — of law
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. root — the cause
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. root — of a word
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. shower — to wash
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. present — the time now
  19. present — there
  20. plane — a tool
  21. shower — rain
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. root — of a plant
  24. present — a gift

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