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

Word bank: pound · race · stem · field · suit · root

  1. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  14. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  15. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. suit — clothes
  4. race — a contest
  5. race — the arms race
  6. root — the cause
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. stem — to come from
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. suit — to fit
  11. root — of a plant
  12. suit — in cards
  13. field — for sport
  14. field — farmland
  15. field — a subject
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. race — humankind
  18. pound — a weight

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