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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: mine · root · spell · firm · mark · board · rush · ground

  1. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. root — of a word
  4. board — to get on
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. spell — a short time
  8. root — of a plant
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. rush — hurry
  11. mark — a grade
  12. firm — steady
  13. board — a committee
  14. spell — letters
  15. mine — for digging
  16. spell — magic
  17. ground — a position
  18. firm — decided
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. mark — a trace
  22. firm — a company
  23. ground — crushed
  24. root — the cause

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