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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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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: date · cue · trunk · content · race · suit · ground · bay

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. Have you settled on a ________________?
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. suit — to fit
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. date — the fruit
  5. ground — crushed
  6. race — a contest
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. content — the amount
  9. race — humankind
  10. cue — for pool
  11. content — happy
  12. cue — a hint
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. ground — the earth
  15. suit — clothes
  16. race — the arms race
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. ground — a position
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. cue — a signal

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