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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: capital · can · rock · board · march · current · root · row

  1. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — money
  2. can — a tin
  3. current — of water
  4. capital — a city
  5. row — to paddle
  6. board — to get on
  7. march — the month
  8. root — the cause
  9. can — to be able to
  10. board — a committee
  11. row — a line
  12. march — music
  13. capital — a big letter
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. root — of a plant
  16. current — happening now
  17. rock — music
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. march — the month
  20. root — of a word
  21. rock — a stone
  22. current — electric
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. can — a tin

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