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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 · coach · cabinet · prune · root · field · foot · bank

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. field — a subject
  3. root — of a word
  4. race — humankind
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. bank — for money
  9. prune — to trim
  10. race — a contest
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. root — of a plant
  13. root — the cause
  14. field — farmland
  15. foot — a measure
  16. field — for sport
  17. prune — to trim
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. bank — of a river
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. race — the arms race
  22. bank — for money
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. prune — the fruit

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