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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. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — for sculpting
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. band — a music group
  5. race — the arms race
  6. chip — to eat
  7. can — a tin
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. mark — a grade
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. can — to be able to
  14. can — a tin
  15. band — a ring
  16. pass — a permit
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. race — humankind
  20. race — a contest
  21. chip — for betting
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. mark — a trace
  24. wax — to grow

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