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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: root · march · lean · board · key · cue · racket · mark

  1. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. lean — thin
  3. root — of a plant
  4. cue — a hint
  5. cue — a signal
  6. root — of a word
  7. march — music
  8. march — the month
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. key — for a lock
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. root — the cause
  15. board — to get on
  16. mark — a trace
  17. cue — for pool
  18. board — a committee
  19. key — in music
  20. key — the most important part
  21. march — the month
  22. mark — a grade
  23. lean — to bend
  24. racket — for tennis

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