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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: snap · board · squash · root · bound · last · cue · pitcher

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  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. root — the cause
  3. bound — tied together
  4. root — of a word
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. board — a committee
  8. snap — to click
  9. last — finally
  10. bound — obliged
  11. last — to go on
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. last — final
  15. root — of a plant
  16. cue — a hint
  17. cue — a signal
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. squash — the sport
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. squash — to crush
  22. cue — for pool
  23. bound — certain
  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