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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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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: bound · bay · stem · root · board · lash · wound · chair

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. root — of a plant
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. root — the cause
  5. wound — an injury
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. chair — a leader
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. bound — certain
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. stem — to come from
  18. root — of a word
  19. bound — obliged
  20. board — a committee
  21. bound — tied together
  22. wound — an injury
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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