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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: wake · pop · calf · wax · race · sharp · fine · mouse

  1. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. wax — to grow
  4. race — a contest
  5. pop — music
  6. pop — to visit
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. race — the arms race
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. pop — soda
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. wake — a trail
  18. fine — high quality
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. fine — all right
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. sharp — clever

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