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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.

Words on the sheet
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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 · wound · roll · root · bulb · bark · lean · mouse

  1. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. wound — an injury
  5. roll — a cake
  6. lean — thin
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. root — of a plant
  9. root — the cause
  10. bark — to shout
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. root — of a word
  14. board — to get on
  15. lean — to bend
  16. bulb — for light
  17. board — a committee
  18. roll — a list
  19. bulb — for light
  20. wound — an injury
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. wound — past of 'wind'
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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