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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 116 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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. mug — a face
  3. rest — what's left
  4. tear — from crying
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. bark — to shout
  7. tear — to rip
  8. wax — to grow
  9. rest — what's left
  10. charge — electricity
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. charge — in control
  13. rest — a break
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. tear — from crying
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. charge — a price
  19. race — humankind
  20. mug — a cup
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. race — the arms race
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. mug — to rob

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