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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: firm · sharp · capital · lean · track · root · board · tube

  1. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. Beijing is the ________________ of China.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. root — the cause
  4. track — a path
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. tube — a container
  7. board — to get on
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. sharp — clever
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. firm — steady
  12. track — a song
  13. capital — a big letter
  14. firm — decided
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. board — a committee
  17. capital — money
  18. lean — thin
  19. root — of a word
  20. root — of a plant
  21. firm — a company
  22. tube — the underground
  23. track — to keep track
  24. capital — a city

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