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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 116 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: wake · prune · root · cue · key · race · ground · spell

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. race — the arms race
  3. spell — letters
  4. key — in music
  5. root — of a plant
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. root — the cause
  8. ground — crushed
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. ground — a position
  11. race — a contest
  12. key — for a lock
  13. race — humankind
  14. spell — magic
  15. spell — a short time
  16. ground — the earth
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. key — the most important part
  19. root — of a word
  20. prune — to trim
  21. cue — a hint
  22. prune — to trim
  23. wake — a trail
  24. cue — a signal

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