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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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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: key · snap · prune · bank · degree · stock · suit · race

  1. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. race — humankind
  3. prune — to trim
  4. degree — temperature
  5. key — in music
  6. race — a contest
  7. bank — of a river
  8. prune — to trim
  9. suit — clothes
  10. bank — for money
  11. suit — in cards
  12. stock — shares
  13. bank — for money
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. degree — from a university
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. key — the most important part
  18. key — for a lock
  19. stock — goods
  20. suit — to fit
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. snap — to click
  23. degree — an amount
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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