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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: race · bank · saw · root · squash · calf · ground · object

  1. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. root — the cause
  3. race — humankind
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. root — of a word
  6. saw — the tool
  7. ground — a position
  8. race — the arms race
  9. bank — for money
  10. squash — the sport
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. bank — of a river
  13. object — an aim
  14. bank — for money
  15. saw — the tool
  16. object — a thing
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. squash — to crush
  20. ground — crushed
  21. ground — the earth
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. race — a contest
  24. root — of a plant

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