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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
468
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: coach · mark · rush · lie · race · wave · degree · rash

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. degree — an amount
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. degree — temperature
  5. race — humankind
  6. mark — a trace
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. rash — a series
  10. race — the arms race
  11. degree — from a university
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. race — a contest
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. rush — hurry
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. lie — to recline
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. rash — hasty
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. mark — a grade
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. coach — a trainer

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