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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. root — the cause
  4. key — in music
  5. last — to go on
  6. last — finally
  7. mark — a grade
  8. last — final
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. root — of a plant
  11. mark — a trace
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. key — for a lock
  14. game — wild animals
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. board — a committee
  17. rush — hurry
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. game — a match
  20. key — the most important part
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. root — of a word

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