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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: bear · race · season · tube · firm · branch · nail · root

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. season — in sport
  3. bear — the animal
  4. firm — steady
  5. race — a contest
  6. firm — decided
  7. root — the cause
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. root — of a plant
  10. root — of a word
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. branch — a division
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. race — the arms race
  18. tube — the underground
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. firm — a company
  22. race — humankind
  23. season — of the year
  24. tube — a container

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