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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: lash · pound · root · board · key · saw

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. key — in music
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. key — for a lock
  5. key — the most important part
  6. root — of a word
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. saw — the tool
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. saw — the tool
  11. pound — a weight
  12. root — of a plant
  13. root — the cause
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. board — a committee
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. saw — past of 'see'

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