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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: track · wave · fan · race · arm · lie · can · wound

  1. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. race — a contest
  4. wound — an injury
  5. can — a tin
  6. race — the arms race
  7. can — a tin
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. race — humankind
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. wound — an injury
  15. track — a song
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. lie — to recline
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. can — to be able to
  22. track — to keep track
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. track — a path

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