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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 120 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: clip · root · tube · trunk · chair · board · cap · stand

  1. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  23. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. root — of a plant
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. chair — a leader
  7. board — a committee
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. root — of a word
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. cap — a lid
  12. board — to get on
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. cap — a hat
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. clip — to cut
  17. tube — a container
  18. tube — the underground
  19. cap — of ice
  20. root — the cause
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. clip — for paper
  23. clip — a video
  24. chair — a professorship

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