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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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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: pitcher · board · root · pop · firm · bark · cabinet · track

  1. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. firm — steady
  5. track — a song
  6. pop — soda
  7. track — to keep track
  8. pop — music
  9. board — to get on
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. bark — to shout
  12. root — of a plant
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. track — a path
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. board — a committee
  17. firm — a company
  18. root — the cause
  19. firm — decided
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. pop — to visit
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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