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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. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. board — a committee
  3. current — electric
  4. root — the cause
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. board — to get on
  7. foot — a measure
  8. swing — music
  9. swing — in golf
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. current — of water
  12. sharp — clever
  13. track — a path
  14. current — happening now
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. root — of a plant
  17. swing — to play on
  18. dip — to sink
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. track — a song
  21. track — to keep track
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. root — of a word
  24. sharp — exactly

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