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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: foot · cap · wave · key · prune · race · suit · tube

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. cap — a lid
  3. suit — clothes
  4. race — humankind
  5. suit — in cards
  6. tube — a container
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. key — for a lock
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. race — a contest
  11. key — the most important part
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. suit — to fit
  15. prune — to trim
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. foot — a measure
  18. race — the arms race
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. cap — a hat
  21. tube — the underground
  22. cap — of ice
  23. key — in music
  24. prune — to trim

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