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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 room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. spring — of water
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. wax — to grow
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. tube — the underground
  9. race — humankind
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. spring — the season
  14. tube — a container
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. race — the arms race
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. lean — to bend
  20. lean — thin
  21. spring — a coil
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. race — a contest

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