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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 120 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. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. bank — of a river
  4. root — the cause
  5. race — humankind
  6. root — of a plant
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. pit — a hole
  9. pit — in a race
  10. root — of a word
  11. lean — thin
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. bank — for money
  16. squash — to crush
  17. squash — the sport
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. race — the arms race
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. race — a contest
  22. bank — for money
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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