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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: stem · race · dip · wax · firm · pitcher · rule · track

  1. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. race — the arms race
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. wax — to grow
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. stem — to come from
  13. firm — decided
  14. race — humankind
  15. dip — to sink
  16. track — a path
  17. rule — government
  18. rule — a law
  19. race — a contest
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. firm — steady
  22. track — to keep track
  23. firm — a company
  24. dip — a sauce

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