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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. board — to get on
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. bat — the animal
  7. toast — bread
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. saw — the tool
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. race — humankind
  13. saw — the tool
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. race — a contest
  18. bat — for baseball
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. bat — in an idiom
  22. board — a committee
  23. wax — to grow
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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