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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: chip · root · court · current · board · game · stick · coach

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. current — happening now
  3. current — electric
  4. court — of law
  5. game — a match
  6. current — of water
  7. court — for sport
  8. court — of a king
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. root — of a plant
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. chip — to eat
  14. board — a committee
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. root — of a word
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. board — to get on
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. chip — for betting
  22. root — the cause
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. game — wild animals

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