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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 · content · board · march · nail · patient · rock

  1. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. march — music
  4. chip — to eat
  5. content — happy
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. rock — a stone
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. march — the month
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. chip — for betting
  15. root — the cause
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. content — the amount
  19. rock — music
  20. march — the month
  21. root — of a plant
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. board — to get on
  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