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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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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: race · root · toast · tear · pass · bay

  1. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. root — of a word
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. tear — to rip
  7. toast — bread
  8. race — a contest
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. tear — from crying
  11. root — of a plant
  12. tear — from crying
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. root — the cause
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. race — the arms race
  18. pass — a permit

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