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

Word bank: cap · race · bear · ruler · root · trunk

  1. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. race — the arms race
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. cap — a lid
  5. cap — of ice
  6. race — a contest
  7. bear — the animal
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. bear — the animal
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. cap — a hat
  15. root — of a plant
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. root — of a word
  18. race — humankind

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