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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. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. wax — to grow
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. track — a song
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. firm — a company
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. bulb — for light
  12. firm — steady
  13. race — humankind
  14. track — to keep track
  15. sharp — clever
  16. track — a path
  17. firm — decided
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. pass — a permit
  20. bulb — for light
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. race — a contest
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. sharp — with an edge

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