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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: sharp · face · nail · deal · wax · swing · press · race

  1. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  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 — the arms race
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. press — a publisher
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. face — to confront
  7. race — humankind
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. deal — to handle
  10. swing — music
  11. swing — to play on
  12. face — to point toward
  13. swing — in golf
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. wax — to grow
  16. press — to push
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. face — part of the head
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. race — a contest
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. press — newspapers
  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