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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.

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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: key · root · board · wave · face · plane · bark · swing

  1. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. board — to get on
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. key — in music
  5. root — of a word
  6. root — the cause
  7. root — of a plant
  8. swing — music
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. board — a committee
  11. swing — in golf
  12. bark — to shout
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. swing — to play on
  16. face — to point toward
  17. key — the most important part
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. plane — a tool
  21. face — to confront
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. face — part of the head
  24. key — for a lock

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