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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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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: mouse · race · straw · calf · key · ground · rest · wax

  1. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. rest — what's left
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. key — in music
  8. rest — a break
  9. wax — to grow
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. key — the most important part
  12. ground — the earth
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. ground — a position
  18. key — for a lock
  19. rest — what's left
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. race — a contest
  23. race — humankind
  24. ground — crushed

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