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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 · wax · race · bowl · dip · fork · prune · object

  1. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. fork — in a road
  3. race — the arms race
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. object — an aim
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. object — a thing
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. race — a contest
  15. prune — to trim
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. dip — to sink
  18. object — to protest
  19. prune — to trim
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. wax — to grow

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