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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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. current — electric
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. suit — clothes
  6. root — of a plant
  7. march — the month
  8. root — of a word
  9. march — the month
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. rest — what's left
  12. root — the cause
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. rest — a break
  15. band — a music group
  16. march — music
  17. current — happening now
  18. suit — in cards
  19. board — to get on
  20. band — a ring
  21. board — a committee
  22. rest — what's left
  23. suit — to fit
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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