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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: lean · firm · trunk · spell · shower · fan · race · wave

  1. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. race — a contest
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. race — humankind
  5. firm — decided
  6. shower — to wash
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. firm — a company
  9. lean — thin
  10. spell — magic
  11. spell — a short time
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. spell — letters
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. lean — to bend
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. firm — steady
  23. shower — rain
  24. wave — of the sea

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