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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: roll · chair · root · fine · pound · can · board · lean

  1. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a leader
  2. can — a tin
  3. root — of a word
  4. fine — all right
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. roll — a cake
  7. lean — to bend
  8. pound — a weight
  9. board — to get on
  10. roll — a list
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. lean — thin
  15. root — of a plant
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. can — to be able to
  18. board — a committee
  19. root — the cause
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. can — a tin
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. fine — high quality

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