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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: race · object · patient · firm · capital · spell

  1. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. firm — decided
  3. object — an aim
  4. firm — steady
  5. spell — a short time
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. capital — money
  8. firm — a company
  9. object — a thing
  10. object — to protest
  11. spell — magic
  12. spell — letters
  13. race — humankind
  14. capital — a city
  15. race — a contest
  16. capital — a big letter
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. patient — a sick person

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