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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.

Make a worksheet

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: root · roll · fine · safe · bowl · nail · capital · court

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. root — the cause
  3. capital — a big letter
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. capital — a city
  6. root — of a plant
  7. fine — all right
  8. court — for sport
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. roll — a cake
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. root — of a word
  15. fine — high quality
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. capital — money
  19. court — of law
  20. court — of a king
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. roll — a list

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