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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: race · lash · wave · bowl · firm · stem · rule · game

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. race — humankind
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. firm — a company
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. rule — a law
  10. game — wild animals
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. stem — to come from
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. race — the arms race
  18. race — a contest
  19. game — a match
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. firm — decided
  22. rule — government
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. firm — steady

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