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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 · bear · rest · race · cell · bowl · mouse · foot

  1. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. race — humankind
  4. rest — what's left
  5. cell — in biology
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. bear — the animal
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. root — the cause
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. foot — a measure
  14. race — the arms race
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. race — a contest
  18. bear — the animal
  19. cell — a phone
  20. root — of a plant
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. root — of a word
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. rest — what's left

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