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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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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: deal · ruler · squash · swing · bark · root · staff · court

  1. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. staff — employees
  3. court — of law
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. swing — music
  7. staff — a stick
  8. squash — to crush
  9. root — of a word
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. root — of a plant
  12. root — the cause
  13. staff — employees
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. court — for sport
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. deal — to handle
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. swing — in golf
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. bark — to shout
  23. court — of a king
  24. swing — to play on

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