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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: swing · net · root · bear · board · mouse · current · fall

  1. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. swing — to play on
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. current — electric
  5. fall — to drop
  6. root — the cause
  7. net — after costs
  8. root — of a word
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. net — in sport
  11. fall — to drop
  12. current — happening now
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. swing — music
  15. root — of a plant
  16. fall — the season
  17. swing — in golf
  18. board — to get on
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. net — for catching
  21. bear — the animal
  22. board — a committee
  23. current — of water
  24. bear — the animal

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