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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: suit · rash · race · capital · charge · prune · can · ground

  1. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. capital — money
  3. ground — the earth
  4. race — a contest
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. rash — hasty
  7. race — the arms race
  8. suit — clothes
  9. charge — in control
  10. suit — to fit
  11. can — to be able to
  12. charge — electricity
  13. capital — a city
  14. can — a tin
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. charge — a price
  17. prune — to trim
  18. ground — crushed
  19. rash — a series
  20. prune — to trim
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. suit — in cards
  23. can — a tin
  24. ground — a position

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