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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
468
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 · key · pass · temple · season · fan · net

  1. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. pass — a permit
  3. race — humankind
  4. root — of a plant
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. race — the arms race
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. key — the most important part
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. root — of a word
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. season — in sport
  15. net — for catching
  16. net — after costs
  17. key — in music
  18. season — of the year
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. net — in sport
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. key — for a lock
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. root — the cause

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