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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.

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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: date · court · root · object · bank · fine · suit · kick

  1. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. root — the cause
  3. fine — high quality
  4. suit — to fit
  5. court — of law
  6. suit — clothes
  7. court — of a king
  8. bank — of a river
  9. fine — all right
  10. suit — in cards
  11. object — an aim
  12. root — of a plant
  13. kick — in football
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. object — to protest
  16. date — the fruit
  17. court — for sport
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. object — a thing
  20. bank — for money
  21. bank — for money
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. root — of a word
  24. kick — with a leg

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