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

Word bank: rule · foot · wave · race · bank · root

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. root — of a word
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. bank — of a river
  5. root — of a plant
  6. root — the cause
  7. rule — government
  8. race — humankind
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. rule — a law
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. race — the arms race
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. bank — for money
  16. foot — a measure
  17. race — a contest
  18. foot — part of the body

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