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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: row · root · mine · lash · rock · board · charge · fork

  1. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. board — to get on
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. mine — for digging
  5. rock — music
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. root — of a plant
  11. rock — a stone
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. row — to paddle
  14. charge — in control
  15. row — a line
  16. root — of a word
  17. board — a committee
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. root — the cause
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. charge — electricity
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. charge — a price
  24. fork — in a road

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