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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 120 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: race · charge · bank · racket · root · land · plane · cue

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. race — a contest
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. charge — in control
  6. charge — electricity
  7. land — a country
  8. cue — a hint
  9. cue — a signal
  10. bank — for money
  11. bank — for money
  12. cue — for pool
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. race — humankind
  15. bank — of a river
  16. root — the cause
  17. land — to come down
  18. land — ground
  19. race — the arms race
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. root — of a word
  23. charge — a price
  24. root — of a plant

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