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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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  4. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. race — humankind
  3. tear — from crying
  4. tear — from crying
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. suit — clothes
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. tear — to rip
  10. race — the arms race
  11. rest — what's left
  12. suit — in cards
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. wax — to grow
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. race — a contest
  18. object — to protest
  19. object — a thing
  20. rest — a break
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. suit — to fit
  24. rest — what's left

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