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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: spell · firm · rash · coach · face · race · snap · mark

  1. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. spell — a short time
  4. firm — decided
  5. firm — a company
  6. firm — steady
  7. spell — magic
  8. snap — to click
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. race — the arms race
  11. face — to point toward
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. face — to confront
  14. race — a contest
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. spell — letters
  18. mark — a trace
  19. face — part of the head
  20. race — humankind
  21. rash — hasty
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. mark — a grade

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