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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: land · race · present · rash · racket · spell · firm · foot

  1. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. foot — a measure
  4. race — the arms race
  5. firm — steady
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. present — a gift
  8. present — there
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. land — to come down
  11. spell — magic
  12. spell — a short time
  13. land — a country
  14. rash — a series
  15. present — the time now
  16. rash — hasty
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. race — a contest
  21. land — ground
  22. spell — letters
  23. firm — decided
  24. firm — a company

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