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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. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. wax — to grow
  3. race — the arms race
  4. race — humankind
  5. saw — the tool
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. ball — a great time
  8. cell — in biology
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. cap — a lid
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. ball — a dance
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. cap — of ice
  16. rash — a series
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. race — a contest
  19. saw — the tool
  20. cap — a hat
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. rash — hasty
  23. cell — a phone
  24. pound — a weight

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