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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 116 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. race — humankind
  3. root — the cause
  4. swing — in golf
  5. track — a path
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. branch — a division
  8. race — the arms race
  9. fine — all right
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. content — the amount
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. track — a song
  15. track — to keep track
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. swing — to play on
  18. root — of a plant
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. content — happy
  21. swing — music
  22. fine — high quality
  23. plane — a tool
  24. race — a contest

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