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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: bear · ruler · race · firm · pitcher · nail · wave · wax

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. firm — decided
  3. race — a contest
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. race — the arms race
  6. wax — to grow
  7. bear — the animal
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. race — humankind
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. bear — the animal
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. firm — steady
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. firm — a company
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. pitcher — a jug

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