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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: ball · rule · fan · pound · track · board · racket · root

  1. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. board — to get on
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. root — of a word
  5. root — the cause
  6. track — a path
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. root — of a plant
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. ball — a great time
  11. rule — government
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. ball — a dance
  14. board — a committee
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. rule — a law
  19. track — a song
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. track — to keep track
  24. pound — a weight

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