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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: root · tube · present · board · stand · court · rock · current

  1. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. current — of water
  3. root — of a word
  4. court — of a king
  5. present — a gift
  6. root — of a plant
  7. court — of law
  8. court — for sport
  9. current — electric
  10. present — the time now
  11. stand — to bear
  12. board — a committee
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. rock — music
  15. rock — a stone
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. board — to get on
  18. present — there
  19. tube — the underground
  20. current — happening now
  21. tube — a container
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. root — the cause
  24. stand — on your feet

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