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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: mate · last · prune · stick · rock · race · spell · suit

  1. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. spell — a short time
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. spell — magic
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. prune — to trim
  8. suit — to fit
  9. suit — in cards
  10. rock — music
  11. last — to go on
  12. last — final
  13. spell — letters
  14. mate — to breed
  15. suit — clothes
  16. race — humankind
  17. mate — a friend
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. prune — to trim
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. last — finally
  22. mate — a partner
  23. rock — a stone
  24. race — the arms race

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