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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: rash · clip · bore · root · bulb · toast · board · wave

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. rash — a series
  4. bore — to drill
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. root — of a plant
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. clip — to cut
  10. root — of a word
  11. root — the cause
  12. clip — for paper
  13. bore — to tire
  14. rash — hasty
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. clip — a video
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. bulb — for light
  20. bulb — for light
  21. toast — bread
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. board — a committee

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