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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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  9. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. bank — of a river
  5. kid — child
  6. root — the cause
  7. root — of a plant
  8. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  9. kid — to tease
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. bank — for money
  12. race — humankind
  13. saw — the tool
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. root — of a word
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. saw — the tool
  18. race — the arms race
  19. bank — for money
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. stem — to come from
  23. race — a contest
  24. stem — a stem cell

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