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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: wax · pitch · bulb · land · race · straw · staff · lean

  1. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. race — a contest
  3. bulb — for light
  4. pitch — completely
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. race — the arms race
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. land — to come down
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. land — a country
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. staff — employees
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. lean — thin
  19. lean — to bend
  20. bulb — for light
  21. staff — employees
  22. wax — to grow
  23. staff — a stick
  24. land — ground

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