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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. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. net — for catching
  3. fine — high quality
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. race — a contest
  11. staff — employees
  12. bore — to tire
  13. wax — to grow
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. staff — a stick
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. net — after costs
  18. race — humankind
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. bore — to drill
  22. fine — all right
  23. net — in sport
  24. staff — employees

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