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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: wave · race · can · safe · wind · arm · chair · bank

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  23. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. chair — a leader
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. bank — of a river
  6. can — a tin
  7. can — to be able to
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. wind — to turn a key
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. race — a contest
  14. chair — to sit on
  15. race — humankind
  16. bank — for money
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. bank — for money
  20. race — the arms race
  21. can — a tin
  22. wind — moving air
  23. wind — moving air
  24. arm — part of the body

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