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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.

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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: fall · present · board · court · suit · tube · pitcher · root

  1. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. present — the time now
  3. court — of law
  4. fall — to drop
  5. fall — the season
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. court — of a king
  8. suit — to fit
  9. present — a gift
  10. root — of a word
  11. fall — to drop
  12. root — the cause
  13. root — of a plant
  14. present — there
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. tube — a container
  17. suit — in cards
  18. court — for sport
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. suit — clothes
  22. board — a committee
  23. board — to get on
  24. tube — in a tire

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