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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 · coach · object · wave · firm · stick · race · arm

  1. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. spell — letters
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. race — the arms race
  10. firm — steady
  11. race — a contest
  12. object — an aim
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. firm — a company
  16. spell — magic
  17. object — to protest
  18. spell — a short time
  19. firm — decided
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. race — humankind
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. wave — of the sea

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