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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 · jam · game · current · bank · degree · court · stand

  1. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. bank — for money
  3. degree — an amount
  4. root — of a plant
  5. root — the cause
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. bank — for money
  8. court — for sport
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. current — electric
  11. game — wild animals
  12. current — of water
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. current — happening now
  15. stand — to bear
  16. degree — temperature
  17. game — a match
  18. bank — of a river
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. degree — from a university
  21. court — of law
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. court — of a king
  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