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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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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: chair · root · race · ground · bowl · stick

  1. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. ground — the earth
  5. chair — a leader
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. root — of a word
  8. race — humankind
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. chair — a professorship
  11. race — the arms race
  12. root — the cause
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. ground — crushed
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. ground — a position
  17. race — a contest
  18. bowl — a dish

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