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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  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. root — of a plant
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. root — of a word
  5. board — a committee
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. spring — of water
  8. content — the amount
  9. spring — the season
  10. rock — a stone
  11. spring — a coil
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. content — happy
  14. root — the cause
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. current — happening now
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. perch — the fish
  20. current — electric
  21. current — of water
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. pass — a permit
  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