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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. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. cue — a signal
  4. present — the time now
  5. snap — to click
  6. bound — obliged
  7. race — the arms race
  8. cue — for pool
  9. pitch — completely
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. wax — to grow
  12. present — there
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. bound — certain
  15. can — a tin
  16. race — humankind
  17. present — a gift
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. can — to be able to
  21. bound — tied together
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. cue — a hint
  24. can — a tin

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