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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. pass — a permit
  3. firm — a company
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. court — of a king
  6. suit — to fit
  7. wax — to grow
  8. race — the arms race
  9. firm — decided
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. suit — clothes
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. court — of law
  15. firm — steady
  16. race — a contest
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. sharp — clever
  20. court — for sport
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. race — humankind
  24. wax — for sculpting

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