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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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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: charge · hand · current · foot · root · stick · board · net

  1. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. hand — in cards
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. net — after costs
  5. current — electric
  6. root — of a word
  7. charge — electricity
  8. net — in sport
  9. board — a committee
  10. foot — a measure
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. root — of a plant
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. current — happening now
  18. charge — a price
  19. charge — in control
  20. current — of water
  21. root — the cause
  22. board — to get on
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. hand — help

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