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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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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: stand · root · stem · race · rock · hand · mark · wave

  1. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. race — the arms race
  4. root — of a word
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. root — the cause
  8. hand — help
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. mark — a trace
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. rock — a stone
  14. root — of a plant
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. mark — a grade
  17. rock — music
  18. race — humankind
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. stem — to come from
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. race — a contest
  24. hand — in cards

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