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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: board · ruler · root · wave · spell · key · bark · spring

  1. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — a coil
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. key — in music
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. root — of a plant
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. spell — a short time
  8. root — of a word
  9. key — for a lock
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. spell — magic
  14. spring — the season
  15. board — a committee
  16. spell — letters
  17. spring — of water
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. key — the most important part
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. board — to get on
  22. root — the cause
  23. bark — to shout
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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