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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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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: wound · firm · bay · wave · race · rock

  1. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. firm — a company
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. race — humankind
  5. rock — music
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. wound — an injury
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. firm — decided
  11. rock — a stone
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. race — the arms race
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. race — a contest
  16. wound — an injury
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. firm — steady

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