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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: tube · can · race · land · wave · saw · root · pitcher

  1. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. can — a tin
  3. can — to be able to
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. race — humankind
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. tube — a container
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. land — a country
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. can — a tin
  12. root — the cause
  13. root — of a plant
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. race — the arms race
  16. land — to come down
  17. tube — the underground
  18. saw — the tool
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. race — a contest
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. land — ground
  24. root — of a word

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