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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: ruler · wax · stock · race · firm · safe

  1. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. race — the arms race
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. race — a contest
  6. firm — steady
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. firm — a company
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. stock — goods
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. stock — shares
  14. wax — to grow
  15. race — humankind
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. firm — decided

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