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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: board · charge · bound · mate · suit · tube · rock · root

  1. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. charge — a price
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. bound — certain
  5. rock — music
  6. rock — a stone
  7. suit — in cards
  8. root — of a word
  9. board — a committee
  10. charge — in control
  11. mate — a friend
  12. charge — electricity
  13. mate — to breed
  14. suit — to fit
  15. bound — tied together
  16. mate — a partner
  17. tube — the underground
  18. bound — obliged
  19. root — the cause
  20. tube — a container
  21. board — to get on
  22. suit — clothes
  23. root — of a plant
  24. rock — to move gently

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