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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: current · rash · march · prune · root · race · content · press

  1. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. current — happening now
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. rash — hasty
  5. root — of a plant
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. march — the month
  8. root — the cause
  9. prune — to trim
  10. root — of a word
  11. march — music
  12. race — humankind
  13. content — the amount
  14. press — newspapers
  15. current — electric
  16. content — happy
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. rash — a series
  19. press — a publisher
  20. prune — to trim
  21. race — a contest
  22. march — the month
  23. press — to push
  24. current — of water

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