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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: race · net · bay · face · board · root · pound · tube

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. race — the arms race
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. race — humankind
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. face — to point toward
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. root — the cause
  9. face — to confront
  10. root — of a plant
  11. tube — a container
  12. net — after costs
  13. face — part of the head
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. pound — a weight
  16. net — for catching
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. net — in sport
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. race — a contest
  22. board — a committee
  23. tube — the underground
  24. root — of a word

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