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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: current · root · board · chair · rock · race · bear · fan

  1. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. current — electric
  4. race — the arms race
  5. rock — a stone
  6. root — the cause
  7. bear — the animal
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. root — of a plant
  10. race — a contest
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. race — humankind
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. current — of water
  16. chair — a leader
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. root — of a word
  19. rock — music
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. board — a committee
  22. current — happening now
  23. bear — the animal
  24. board — to get on

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