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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 116 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. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. ball — a great time
  4. bat — for baseball
  5. suit — clothes
  6. race — a contest
  7. swing — in golf
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. ball — a dance
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. suit — in cards
  12. bat — the animal
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. race — humankind
  15. swing — music
  16. swing — to play on
  17. bear — the animal
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. suit — to fit
  20. bear — the animal
  21. wax — to grow
  22. bat — in an idiom
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. wax — for sculpting

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