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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: race · wave · bound · plane · toast · march · coach · calf

  1. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. race — the arms race
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. bound — tied together
  7. bound — obliged
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. bound — certain
  16. march — the month
  17. march — the month
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. toast — bread
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. march — music
  23. plane — a tool
  24. race — humankind

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