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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 116 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 · last · stand · race · saw · bay · game · plane

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. game — a match
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. saw — the tool
  5. race — humankind
  6. plane — a tool
  7. last — to go on
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. root — the cause
  12. last — finally
  13. root — of a word
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. race — a contest
  16. saw — the tool
  17. game — wild animals
  18. root — of a plant
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. race — the arms race
  22. stand — to bear
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. last — final

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