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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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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: kick · race · leaves · toast · wake · racket · prune · rock

  1. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. prune — to trim
  7. wake — a trail
  8. rock — a stone
  9. rock — music
  10. race — humankind
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. toast — bread
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. race — a contest
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. race — the arms race
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. kick — in football
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. wake — before a funeral

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