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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: rush · swing · bear · root · trunk · race · rash · board

  1. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. root — of a word
  3. board — to get on
  4. race — the arms race
  5. swing — in golf
  6. race — humankind
  7. bear — the animal
  8. board — a committee
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. swing — to play on
  11. race — a contest
  12. rash — hasty
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. rash — a series
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. rush — hurry
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. bear — the animal
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. swing — music
  22. root — the cause
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. rush — to hurry

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