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

  1. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  14. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. row — to paddle
  4. race — the arms race
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. root — of a word
  11. pitch — completely
  12. race — a contest
  13. field — for sport
  14. field — farmland
  15. object — to protest
  16. field — a subject
  17. root — the cause
  18. race — humankind
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. row — a line
  21. object — a thing
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. object — an aim

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