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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 116 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 · current · object · stem · court · trunk · leaves · nail

  1. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. object — an aim
  4. court — of law
  5. root — of a word
  6. court — of a king
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. current — of water
  9. object — to protest
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. current — electric
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. court — for sport
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. root — the cause
  18. object — a thing
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. root — of a plant
  23. current — happening now
  24. stem — to come from

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