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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: object · wound · chair · race · coach · season · row · stick

  1. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — to sit on
  2. wound — an injury
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. race — the arms race
  5. chair — a leader
  6. race — a contest
  7. object — to protest
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. row — to paddle
  10. wound — an injury
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. object — a thing
  15. race — humankind
  16. row — a line
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. object — an aim
  21. season — in sport
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. season — of the year

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