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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 120 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: calf · arm · suit · wake · sharp · can · wound · race

  1. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. wound — an injury
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. sharp — clever
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. suit — clothes
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. suit — to fit
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. wound — past of 'wind'
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. race — humankind
  18. race — the arms race
  19. can — a tin
  20. wound — an injury
  21. race — a contest
  22. can — a tin
  23. suit — in cards
  24. can — to be able to

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