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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 120 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: race · bound · dip · wax · march · suit · pass · foot

  1. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  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. race — the arms race
  2. suit — in cards
  3. race — humankind
  4. foot — a measure
  5. pass — a permit
  6. suit — clothes
  7. suit — to fit
  8. race — a contest
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. bound — tied together
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. bound — certain
  14. march — the month
  15. dip — to sink
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. march — music
  18. bound — obliged
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. march — the month
  23. wax — to grow
  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