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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: craft · racket · plane · mate · race · land · row · root

  1. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. race — the arms race
  3. root — of a plant
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. row — to paddle
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. craft — a skill
  10. root — the cause
  11. mate — a partner
  12. land — ground
  13. land — to come down
  14. root — of a word
  15. land — a country
  16. race — humankind
  17. race — a contest
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. row — a line
  20. mate — a friend
  21. plane — a tool
  22. craft — boats
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. plane — an aircraft

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