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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: stand · bowl · craft · lean · file · root · saw · race

  1. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. root — of a plant
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. saw — the tool
  6. race — a contest
  7. lean — to bend
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. craft — a skill
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. file — a tool
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. race — the arms race
  14. file — a line of people
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. file — a document
  17. saw — the tool
  18. root — the cause
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. lean — thin
  21. craft — boats
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. race — humankind
  24. stand — to bear

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