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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: cold · season · current · wake · root · safe · race · mark

  1. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. The water is too ________________.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. wake — a trail
  4. race — humankind
  5. mark — a grade
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. cold — the Cold War
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. root — of a plant
  10. current — of water
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. root — the cause
  13. cold — an illness
  14. current — electric
  15. season — of the year
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. mark — a trace
  18. current — happening now
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. race — a contest
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. season — in sport
  23. cold — not warm
  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