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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: lean · land · root · current · mug · bound · firm · board

  1. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. board — a committee
  3. lean — to bend
  4. land — to come down
  5. mug — a face
  6. root — of a plant
  7. lean — thin
  8. mug — a cup
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. land — a country
  11. root — of a word
  12. bound — obliged
  13. root — the cause
  14. firm — decided
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. bound — certain
  17. mug — to rob
  18. firm — steady
  19. board — to get on
  20. current — electric
  21. current — of water
  22. current — happening now
  23. firm — a company
  24. land — ground

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