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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: band · leaves · row · prune · suit · race · fan · spell

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. band — a music group
  3. row — to paddle
  4. spell — magic
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. race — the arms race
  8. race — a contest
  9. race — humankind
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. row — a line
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. spell — letters
  14. band — a ring
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. suit — to fit
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. prune — to trim
  19. suit — in cards
  20. spell — a short time
  21. prune — to trim
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. fan — a supporter

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