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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: lie · board · root · nail · charge · spell · rock · pound

  1. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. charge — a price
  4. spell — letters
  5. root — the cause
  6. board — a committee
  7. root — of a word
  8. spell — magic
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. pound — a weight
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. charge — electricity
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. root — of a plant
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. rock — a stone
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. charge — in control
  22. spell — a short time
  23. lie — to recline
  24. board — to get on

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