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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: board · fan · rash · pass · pop · root · key · hand

  1. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. pop — music
  3. root — the cause
  4. root — of a word
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. board — a committee
  7. rash — a series
  8. key — the most important part
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. rash — hasty
  11. board — to get on
  12. pass — a permit
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. hand — help
  18. pop — soda
  19. key — for a lock
  20. key — in music
  21. hand — in cards
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. root — of a plant

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