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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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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: mouse · prune · race · fan · spring · key · fine · land

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. race — a contest
  4. land — ground
  5. spring — the season
  6. fine — high quality
  7. race — the arms race
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. land — a country
  11. spring — a coil
  12. prune — to trim
  13. prune — to trim
  14. race — humankind
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. spring — of water
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. key — in music
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. fine — all right
  21. land — to come down
  22. key — for a lock
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. key — the most important part

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