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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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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: dip · board · kick · face · rule · current · row · root

  1. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. current — of water
  3. root — the cause
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. row — to paddle
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. face — part of the head
  8. current — happening now
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. face — to confront
  11. root — of a plant
  12. board — a committee
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. rule — a law
  16. dip — to sink
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. row — a line
  19. rule — government
  20. root — of a word
  21. board — to get on
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. face — to point toward
  24. kick — in football

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