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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: board · stick · root · nail · can · race · pass · rock

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. race — humankind
  4. root — of a word
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. can — a tin
  7. board — to get on
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. rock — a stone
  12. rock — music
  13. can — to be able to
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. board — a committee
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. root — the cause
  20. race — the arms race
  21. race — a contest
  22. can — a tin
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. root — of a plant

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