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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: stick · root · perch · board · race · lie · bass · capital

  1. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  20. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. root — of a word
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. perch — the fish
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. lie — to recline
  10. race — humankind
  11. root — the cause
  12. bass — low music
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. board — to get on
  16. root — of a plant
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. board — a committee
  19. capital — a city
  20. capital — money
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. capital — a big letter
  23. bass — the fish
  24. race — a contest

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