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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: roll · pound · root · ball · fine · board · drill · track

  1. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. root — of a plant
  3. ball — a great time
  4. board — to get on
  5. root — the cause
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. fine — all right
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. pound — a weight
  10. roll — a list
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. ball — a dance
  14. roll — a cake
  15. drill — army training
  16. track — a song
  17. track — a path
  18. root — of a word
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. track — to keep track
  21. fine — high quality
  22. drill — a practice
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. board — a committee

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