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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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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: land · root · rule · stick · scale · cap · stem · race

  1. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. race — the arms race
  4. land — ground
  5. root — of a plant
  6. scale — size or range
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. root — the cause
  9. race — a contest
  10. cap — of ice
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. stem — to come from
  13. land — to come down
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. land — a country
  16. rule — government
  17. root — of a word
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. cap — a hat
  20. race — humankind
  21. rule — a law
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. cap — a lid

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