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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: race · club · prune · bound · suit · leaves · patient · rash

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. suit — in cards
  3. race — the arms race
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. suit — clothes
  6. prune — to trim
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. club — a group
  9. bound — certain
  10. rash — a series
  11. club — for golf
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. race — humankind
  17. race — a contest
  18. club — for dancing
  19. suit — to fit
  20. prune — to trim
  21. bound — obliged
  22. bound — tied together
  23. rash — hasty
  24. patient — a sick person

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