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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
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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: race · suit · bat · track · spell · prune · court · lash

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  19. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. race — the arms race
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. track — a song
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. race — a contest
  8. track — to keep track
  9. prune — to trim
  10. court — for sport
  11. race — humankind
  12. court — of a king
  13. spell — a short time
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. suit — clothes
  16. suit — to fit
  17. prune — to trim
  18. bat — for baseball
  19. bat — the animal
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. court — of law
  22. spell — magic
  23. spell — letters
  24. track — a path

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