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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. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. wax — to grow
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. rock — a stone
  5. race — the arms race
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. ball — a great time
  10. rock — music
  11. ball — a dance
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. firm — steady
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. race — humankind
  17. firm — decided
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. lie — to recline
  20. hand — help
  21. hand — in cards
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. firm — a company
  24. stem — to come from

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