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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 · root · bound · row · craft · pass · bank · stock

  1. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. bound — obliged
  4. root — of a plant
  5. stock — goods
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. bank — for money
  8. race — a contest
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. bank — for money
  12. root — of a word
  13. stock — shares
  14. craft — boats
  15. pass — a permit
  16. craft — a skill
  17. race — the arms race
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. bank — of a river
  20. row — a line
  21. root — the cause
  22. race — humankind
  23. row — to paddle
  24. bound — tied together

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