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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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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: arm · court · mug · root · cell · shower · stick · cue

  1. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. He was locked up in a ________________.
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. root — of a word
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. root — of a plant
  8. cell — in a prison
  9. shower — to wash
  10. mug — a face
  11. court — for sport
  12. cell — in biology
  13. mug — to rob
  14. mug — a cup
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. cue — a signal
  17. cue — for pool
  18. shower — rain
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. cue — a hint
  21. root — the cause
  22. cell — a phone
  23. court — of law
  24. arm — part of the body

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