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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: deal · race · root · bass · craft · dip · swing · rush

  1. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. race — the arms race
  3. dip — to sink
  4. swing — to play on
  5. craft — boats
  6. deal — to handle
  7. root — of a plant
  8. bass — low music
  9. craft — a skill
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. root — the cause
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. race — a contest
  14. rush — hurry
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. bass — the fish
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. swing — in golf
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. race — humankind
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. root — of a word
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. swing — music

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