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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: mark · pass · race · chest · suit · root · spring · saw

  1. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  14. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. saw — the tool
  3. spring — of water
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. race — humankind
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. root — the cause
  8. race — a contest
  9. suit — clothes
  10. spring — the season
  11. suit — in cards
  12. mark — a trace
  13. chest — of your body
  14. chest — a box
  15. saw — the tool
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. mark — a grade
  18. race — the arms race
  19. spring — a coil
  20. root — of a plant
  21. suit — to fit
  22. chest — of your body
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. pass — a permit

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