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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: foot · rash · net · root · ball · kid · chair · firm

  1. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. chair — to sit on
  3. root — of a word
  4. rash — hasty
  5. firm — a company
  6. rash — a series
  7. kid — child
  8. net — after costs
  9. foot — a measure
  10. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. root — of a plant
  13. ball — a great time
  14. net — in sport
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. firm — decided
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. ball — a dance
  20. net — for catching
  21. kid — to tease
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. chair — a leader
  24. firm — steady

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