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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: face · root · mine · race · rush · bowl · cabinet · wave

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. race — a contest
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. root — of a plant
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. race — humankind
  12. face — to point toward
  13. race — the arms race
  14. rush — hurry
  15. root — the cause
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. root — of a word
  18. face — to confront
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. face — part of the head
  21. mine — an explosive
  22. mine — for digging
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. bowl — a dish

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