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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 120 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: cabinet · prune · mate · suit · race · object · cue · stem

  1. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. stem — to come from
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. object — an aim
  6. object — to protest
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. cue — a signal
  9. suit — clothes
  10. mate — to breed
  11. mate — a partner
  12. race — a contest
  13. prune — to trim
  14. cue — a hint
  15. suit — to fit
  16. race — the arms race
  17. object — a thing
  18. prune — to trim
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. cue — for pool
  22. suit — in cards
  23. mate — a friend
  24. stem — of a plant

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