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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. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. track — a song
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. track — to keep track
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. chair — a leader
  10. kick — in football
  11. sharp — clever
  12. track — a path
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. race — humankind
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. wax — to grow
  21. race — the arms race
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. wake — a trail
  24. chair — to sit on

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