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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 120 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: can · tube · snap · pit · root · bowl · wave · race

  1. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. root — the cause
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. race — a contest
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. root — of a plant
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. can — a tin
  11. tube — the underground
  12. tube — a container
  13. root — of a word
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. can — a tin
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. can — to be able to
  18. race — the arms race
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. pit — a hole
  21. pit — in a race
  22. snap — to click
  23. race — humankind
  24. bowl — to roll

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