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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: pit · present · root · deal · pound · race · tear · suit

  1. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. tear — from crying
  3. deal — to handle
  4. root — of a plant
  5. tear — to rip
  6. root — of a word
  7. pit — in a race
  8. present — the time now
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. race — a contest
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. suit — in cards
  13. suit — to fit
  14. tear — from crying
  15. present — a gift
  16. pit — a hole
  17. race — the arms race
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. pound — a weight
  21. root — the cause
  22. present — there
  23. suit — clothes
  24. pound — to hit hard

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