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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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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: arm · suit · bore · chip · wave · bass · firm · race

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. firm — a company
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. bore — to tire
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. firm — steady
  8. suit — in cards
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. chip — for betting
  12. race — humankind
  13. chip — to eat
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. suit — to fit
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. bass — the fish
  18. bore — to drill
  19. firm — decided
  20. bass — low music
  21. suit — clothes
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. race — a contest
  24. race — the arms race

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