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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: deal · mark · race · coach · racket · pass · file · root

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. root — of a word
  3. root — the cause
  4. file — a line of people
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. race — a contest
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. root — of a plant
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. pass — a permit
  12. mark — a grade
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. deal — to handle
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. race — the arms race
  17. file — a tool
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. race — humankind
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. file — a document

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