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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 120 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. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. mug — to rob
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. wax — to grow
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. pop — soda
  7. mug — a face
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. can — a tin
  10. pop — music
  11. can — to be able to
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. mug — a cup
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. can — a tin
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. pop — to visit
  21. race — humankind
  22. sharp — clever
  23. race — the arms race
  24. wake — a trail

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