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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.

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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: present · file · nail · kid · root · staff · board · date

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  22. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. file — a tool
  3. staff — a stick
  4. file — a line of people
  5. date — the fruit
  6. root — the cause
  7. staff — employees
  8. root — of a plant
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. present — a gift
  11. board — a committee
  12. staff — employees
  13. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. present — the time now
  17. present — there
  18. kid — to tease
  19. root — of a word
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. kid — child
  22. file — a document
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. date — on the calendar

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