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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 116 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: race · rule · prune · vault · coach · stand · suit · ground

  1. There's no middle ________________.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  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. ground — a position
  2. rule — government
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. ground — crushed
  5. prune — to trim
  6. race — a contest
  7. vault — a safe
  8. race — humankind
  9. suit — to fit
  10. ground — the earth
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. rule — a law
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. suit — clothes
  19. stand — to bear
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. race — the arms race
  23. prune — to trim
  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