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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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Word bank
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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: bark · bank · root · race · cell · deal

  1. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. He was locked up in a ________________.
  9. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. bark — to shout
  3. deal — to handle
  4. root — of a plant
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. cell — a phone
  7. bank — of a river
  8. cell — in a prison
  9. cell — in biology
  10. root — of a word
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. bank — for money
  13. bank — for money
  14. race — humankind
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. race — a contest
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. root — the cause

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