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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. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. chest — a box
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. race — humankind
  6. stand — to bear
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. chest — of your body
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. court — of law
  14. race — a contest
  15. court — for sport
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. chest — of your body
  20. court — of a king
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. wax — to grow
  23. race — the arms race
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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