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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. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. cue — for pool
  3. can — to be able to
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. press — newspapers
  6. hand — help
  7. race — humankind
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. wax — to grow
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. race — the arms race
  12. track — a path
  13. press — to push
  14. can — a tin
  15. can — a tin
  16. hand — in cards
  17. capital — a city
  18. cue — a hint
  19. press — a publisher
  20. track — a song
  21. cue — a signal
  22. track — to keep track
  23. capital — money
  24. wax — in the ear

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