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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: root · suit · club · chair · lash · track · court · toast

  1. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a professorship
  2. suit — in cards
  3. club — a group
  4. root — the cause
  5. club — for dancing
  6. club — for golf
  7. root — of a plant
  8. suit — to fit
  9. root — of a word
  10. toast — bread
  11. suit — clothes
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. track — to keep track
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. track — a song
  18. court — of a king
  19. court — of law
  20. track — a path
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. chair — a leader
  24. court — for sport

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