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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: race · coach · ground · root · suit · band · toast · object

  1. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. root — of a plant
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. race — humankind
  7. ground — the earth
  8. suit — clothes
  9. suit — to fit
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. root — of a word
  12. toast — bread
  13. race — the arms race
  14. object — to protest
  15. object — an aim
  16. ground — crushed
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. suit — in cards
  19. band — a music group
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. band — a ring
  22. ground — a position
  23. root — the cause
  24. object — a thing

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