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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. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. race — humankind
  3. suit — clothes
  4. race — the arms race
  5. suit — to fit
  6. scale — size or range
  7. bear — the animal
  8. object — an aim
  9. stem — to come from
  10. object — a thing
  11. season — in sport
  12. wax — to grow
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. suit — in cards
  15. scale — in music
  16. season — of the year
  17. bear — the animal
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. race — a contest
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. object — to protest

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