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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 116 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. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. wax — to grow
  3. object — a thing
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. race — humankind
  7. race — the arms race
  8. race — a contest
  9. firm — decided
  10. object — an aim
  11. rock — a stone
  12. present — there
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. present — a gift
  15. season — of the year
  16. firm — steady
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. firm — a company
  20. object — to protest
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. rock — music
  23. present — the time now
  24. rock — to move gently

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