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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 120 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: season · racket · race · arm · wave · firm · fall · mark

  1. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. race — humankind
  3. firm — decided
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. fall — to drop
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. firm — a company
  9. race — the arms race
  10. mark — a trace
  11. fall — the season
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. firm — steady
  15. race — a contest
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. season — of the year
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. mark — a grade
  24. fall — to drop

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