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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: prune · rock · current · capital · root · club · board · suit

  1. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. root — of a word
  3. current — of water
  4. club — for golf
  5. capital — money
  6. suit — to fit
  7. club — a group
  8. current — happening now
  9. suit — in cards
  10. prune — to trim
  11. rock — music
  12. rock — a stone
  13. board — to get on
  14. board — a committee
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. root — the cause
  17. capital — a city
  18. current — electric
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. prune — to trim
  21. suit — clothes
  22. root — of a plant
  23. club — for dancing
  24. prune — the fruit

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