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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 116 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: court · bound · fork · root · firm · bowl · tube · cue

  1. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  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 — of a plant
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. tube — the underground
  4. cue — a hint
  5. court — for sport
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. root — the cause
  8. bound — obliged
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. root — of a word
  11. firm — decided
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. court — of law
  14. firm — a company
  15. cue — for pool
  16. bound — tied together
  17. court — of a king
  18. fork — in a road
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. cue — a signal
  21. bound — certain
  22. tube — a container
  23. bowl — a dish
  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