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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: root · spring · mouse · court · stand · stick · spell · chip

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. root — of a plant
  3. court — for sport
  4. root — the cause
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. court — of law
  7. chip — to eat
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. court — of a king
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. spring — of water
  13. stand — to bear
  14. root — of a word
  15. spell — a short time
  16. spring — a coil
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. spring — the season
  20. spell — letters
  21. chip — for betting
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. spell — magic

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