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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: race · bowl · arm · can · ball · suit · wake · firm

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. can — to be able to
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. firm — a company
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. can — a tin
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. firm — steady
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. race — a contest
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. firm — decided
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. suit — clothes
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. ball — a great time
  17. wake — a trail
  18. suit — to fit
  19. suit — in cards
  20. ball — a dance
  21. race — humankind
  22. race — the arms race
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. bowl — a football final

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