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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: cap · net · root · mark · pit · cue · saw · race

  1. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. root — the cause
  3. pit — in a race
  4. net — after costs
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. race — humankind
  7. saw — the tool
  8. cap — of ice
  9. cue — a signal
  10. mark — a trace
  11. cap — a lid
  12. cue — for pool
  13. mark — a grade
  14. cue — a hint
  15. root — of a word
  16. net — for catching
  17. pit — a hole
  18. race — the arms race
  19. net — in sport
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. root — of a plant
  22. cap — a hat
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. saw — the tool

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