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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: foot · lean · mouse · fall · bowl · roll · root · race

  1. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. fall — to drop
  3. root — the cause
  4. root — of a plant
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. fall — to drop
  7. foot — a measure
  8. lean — thin
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. race — humankind
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. root — of a word
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. roll — a list
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. roll — a cake
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. fall — the season
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. lean — to bend
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. race — a contest

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