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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: suit · bear · racket · chip · march · race · bass · prune

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. race — the arms race
  3. bass — low music
  4. race — humankind
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. bear — the animal
  7. march — the month
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. march — the month
  10. chip — for betting
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. prune — to trim
  13. march — music
  14. bear — the animal
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. chip — to eat
  17. suit — clothes
  18. suit — to fit
  19. race — a contest
  20. bass — the fish
  21. suit — in cards
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. prune — the fruit
  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