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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: lash · race · can · chip · court · wax · net · stand

  1. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. stand — to bear
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. net — after costs
  6. court — of law
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. race — a contest
  9. can — to be able to
  10. chip — for betting
  11. net — for catching
  12. court — for sport
  13. can — a tin
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. court — of a king
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. net — in sport
  20. chip — to eat
  21. can — a tin
  22. race — humankind
  23. wax — to grow
  24. lash — an eyelash

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