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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: racket · jam · wave · spell · foot · race · land · ruler

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. spell — a short time
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. race — a contest
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. land — to come down
  14. race — humankind
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. land — ground
  19. foot — a measure
  20. land — a country
  21. spell — magic
  22. spell — letters
  23. race — the arms race
  24. jam — in traffic

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