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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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. chip — for betting
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. staff — employees
  7. stand — to bear
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. race — humankind
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. rule — government
  12. wax — to grow
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. rule — a law
  15. staff — a stick
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. race — a contest
  18. mark — a trace
  19. chip — to eat
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. mark — a grade
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. staff — employees
  24. wave — with your hand

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