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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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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: lash · sharp · root · track · board · pitcher · firm · plane

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. track — a song
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. track — to keep track
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. firm — steady
  9. root — of a plant
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. firm — decided
  15. sharp — clever
  16. track — a path
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. firm — a company
  19. root — the cause
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. root — of a word
  22. board — a committee
  23. plane — a tool
  24. board — a flat piece

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