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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: root · object · saw · race · fall · trunk · hide · stick

  1. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. saw — the tool
  4. object — an aim
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. object — a thing
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. fall — to drop
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. root — the cause
  11. fall — the season
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. object — to protest
  14. root — of a word
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. race — the arms race
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. root — of a plant
  22. saw — the tool
  23. race — a contest
  24. fall — to drop

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