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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: root · march · coach · chip · plane · race · board · hide

  1. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. march — the month
  3. root — of a word
  4. chip — for betting
  5. race — the arms race
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. march — the month
  9. march — music
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. board — a committee
  12. plane — a tool
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. board — to get on
  17. race — humankind
  18. root — of a plant
  19. chip — to eat
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. race — a contest
  23. root — the cause
  24. coach — a trainer

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