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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 120 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: field · ground · foot · content · leaves · root · rest · race

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  20. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. race — the arms race
  3. rest — what's left
  4. root — of a word
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. rest — a break
  7. ground — a position
  8. root — the cause
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. race — a contest
  11. content — the amount
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. root — of a plant
  14. race — humankind
  15. rest — what's left
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. ground — the earth
  18. foot — a measure
  19. field — a subject
  20. field — farmland
  21. ground — crushed
  22. content — happy
  23. field — for sport
  24. leaves — of a tree

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