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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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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: root · chest · stock · suit · firm · tube · race · board

  1. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  17. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. tube — a container
  3. firm — decided
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. race — the arms race
  6. suit — in cards
  7. race — a contest
  8. chest — a box
  9. stock — shares
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. board — to get on
  12. board — a committee
  13. tube — the underground
  14. suit — to fit
  15. root — of a word
  16. chest — of your body
  17. chest — of your body
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. suit — clothes
  20. stock — goods
  21. race — humankind
  22. firm — steady
  23. root — the cause
  24. firm — a company

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