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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 124 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: shower · track · race · suit · ruler · mark · spell · fall

  1. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. mark — a trace
  3. suit — clothes
  4. shower — rain
  5. spell — letters
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. suit — to fit
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. spell — a short time
  10. track — a path
  11. fall — the season
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. race — humankind
  14. mark — a grade
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. fall — to drop
  18. fall — to drop
  19. spell — magic
  20. track — to keep track
  21. shower — to wash
  22. race — a contest
  23. track — a song
  24. suit — in cards

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