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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 116 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 tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. board — a committee
  3. chair — a leader
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. rock — a stone
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. root — of a plant
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. object — to protest
  10. board — to get on
  11. object — an aim
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. root — the cause
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. scale — in music
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. stem — to come from
  21. object — a thing
  22. rock — music
  23. scale — size or range
  24. root — of a word

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