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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 120 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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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: wake · bay · plane · root · file · board · foot · bowl

  1. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. plane — a tool
  3. file — a document
  4. root — the cause
  5. root — of a plant
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. file — a tool
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. wake — a trail
  12. file — a line of people
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. board — to get on
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. root — of a word
  19. board — a committee
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. foot — a measure
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. bowl — a football final

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