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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.

Make a worksheet

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
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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: row · plane · mug · board · bat · root · date · lash

  1. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. row — to paddle
  3. board — to get on
  4. mug — to rob
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. root — of a plant
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. date — the fruit
  11. board — a committee
  12. root — the cause
  13. mug — a face
  14. bat — in an idiom
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. mug — a cup
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. plane — a tool
  19. root — of a word
  20. bat — the animal
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. row — a line
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. plane — an aircraft

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