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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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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 · foot · pound · board · bay · lash · fine · track

  1. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. board — a committee
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. foot — a measure
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. track — to keep track
  7. board — to get on
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. fine — all right
  11. root — of a word
  12. track — a song
  13. fine — high quality
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. track — a path
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. root — the cause
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. root — of a plant
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. pound — a weight

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