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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: root · race · pass · cabinet · plane · stock · bulb · toast

  1. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. bulb — for light
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. stock — shares
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. stock — goods
  8. root — the cause
  9. toast — bread
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. plane — a tool
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. bulb — for light
  18. race — a contest
  19. pass — a permit
  20. root — of a plant
  21. race — the arms race
  22. root — of a word
  23. race — humankind
  24. pass — to succeed

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