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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: cap · race · rush · bass · stem · drill · foot · object

  1. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. race — the arms race
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. rush — hurry
  5. stem — to come from
  6. drill — army training
  7. bass — low music
  8. foot — a measure
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. drill — the tool
  11. cap — a hat
  12. cap — a lid
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. object — to protest
  15. race — humankind
  16. cap — of ice
  17. race — a contest
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. object — an aim
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. bass — the fish
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. object — a thing

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