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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: wave · spell · nail · arm · saw · stem · race · board

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. board — a committee
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. spell — a short time
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. spell — magic
  9. stem — to come from
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. board — to get on
  14. saw — the tool
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. race — humankind
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. race — a contest
  23. race — the arms race
  24. spell — letters

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