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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: root · cell · race · foot · chair · mate

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. He was locked up in a ________________.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. cell — a phone
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. root — of a plant
  5. foot — a measure
  6. chair — a leader
  7. cell — in a prison
  8. race — humankind
  9. root — the cause
  10. race — a contest
  11. cell — in biology
  12. mate — a friend
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. root — of a word
  15. race — the arms race
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. mate — to breed
  18. mate — a partner

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