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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 · nail · cap · land · stick · race · plane · season

  1. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. plane — a tool
  3. season — in sport
  4. land — ground
  5. root — of a plant
  6. land — to come down
  7. race — a contest
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. cap — a hat
  11. race — the arms race
  12. land — a country
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. root — the cause
  16. season — of the year
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. root — of a word
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. cap — of ice
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. race — humankind
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. plane — in geometry

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