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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. mark — a trace
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. pitch — completely
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. race — the arms race
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. race — a contest
  15. bulb — for light
  16. wake — a trail
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. bulb — for light
  20. mark — a grade
  21. race — humankind
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. wax — to grow
  24. racket — for tennis

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