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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: cabinet · lean · staff · root · content · bowl · court · game

  1. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. root — the cause
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. root — of a word
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. root — of a plant
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. lean — to bend
  10. content — the amount
  11. staff — employees
  12. lean — thin
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. staff — a stick
  16. court — of law
  17. court — for sport
  18. game — wild animals
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. court — of a king
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. content — happy
  24. game — a match

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