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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: charge · root · current · board · bark · degree · bulb · straw

  1. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. degree — temperature
  4. current — electric
  5. root — of a plant
  6. current — happening now
  7. charge — a price
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. charge — electricity
  10. degree — from a university
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. degree — an amount
  13. bulb — for light
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. charge — in control
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. root — of a word
  18. board — a committee
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. bulb — for light
  21. board — to get on
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. root — the cause
  24. bark — to shout

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