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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: bore · race · field · craft · firm · root · scale · branch

  1. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. scale — in music
  5. race — the arms race
  6. field — farmland
  7. race — a contest
  8. root — the cause
  9. firm — a company
  10. race — humankind
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. bore — to tire
  13. root — of a plant
  14. firm — decided
  15. craft — boats
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. root — of a word
  19. field — for sport
  20. craft — a skill
  21. branch — a division
  22. scale — size or range
  23. field — a subject
  24. bore — to drill

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