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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 116 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: race · plane · band · root · bowl · bound · stock · board

  1. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. bound — certain
  3. band — a ring
  4. bound — tied together
  5. root — the cause
  6. race — humankind
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. board — to get on
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. stock — goods
  11. race — the arms race
  12. root — of a word
  13. plane — a tool
  14. stock — shares
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. root — of a plant
  17. bound — obliged
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. board — a committee
  22. band — a music group
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. bowl — a dish

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