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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. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. scale — in music
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. race — humankind
  6. race — a contest
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. scale — size or range
  13. stem — to come from
  14. root — of a plant
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. root — of a word
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. root — the cause
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. foot — a measure
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. stem — of a plant

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