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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: cue · race · spell · capital · press · craft · root · suit

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. spell — letters
  3. capital — a city
  4. root — of a plant
  5. cue — a hint
  6. cue — for pool
  7. race — a contest
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. root — of a word
  11. spell — magic
  12. press — to push
  13. capital — money
  14. race — the arms race
  15. press — newspapers
  16. race — humankind
  17. suit — to fit
  18. craft — boats
  19. suit — in cards
  20. root — the cause
  21. cue — a signal
  22. press — a publisher
  23. craft — a skill
  24. spell — a short time

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