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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. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. saw — the tool
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. deal — to handle
  7. rest — what's left
  8. rest — what's left
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. race — humankind
  11. saw — the tool
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. wax — to grow
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. vault — a safe
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. race — a contest
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. snap — to click
  20. rest — a break
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. bass — the fish
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. bass — low music

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