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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 120 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. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. He was locked up in a ________________.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. cell — a phone
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. suit — in cards
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. wax — to grow
  8. perch — the fish
  9. chest — a box
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. chest — of your body
  12. suit — clothes
  13. race — humankind
  14. race — a contest
  15. foot — a measure
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. cell — in a prison
  21. suit — to fit
  22. cell — in biology
  23. deal — to handle
  24. chest — of your body

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