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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.

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: board · perch · plane · ground · chip · root · mate · stock

  1. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. chip — for betting
  3. root — of a plant
  4. ground — crushed
  5. plane — a tool
  6. perch — the fish
  7. chip — to eat
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. mate — to breed
  10. board — a committee
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. mate — a friend
  13. stock — shares
  14. ground — a position
  15. mate — a partner
  16. root — of a word
  17. root — the cause
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. board — to get on
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. stock — goods
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. ground — the earth

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