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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: game · board · spring · ground · can · root · cell · racket

  1. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. He was locked up in a ________________.
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. can — a tin
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. cell — a phone
  7. cell — in biology
  8. game — a match
  9. root — the cause
  10. spring — of water
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. ground — the earth
  13. can — to be able to
  14. board — a committee
  15. game — wild animals
  16. ground — a position
  17. can — a tin
  18. ground — crushed
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. root — of a word
  21. cell — in a prison
  22. spring — a coil
  23. spring — the season
  24. board — to get on

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