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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
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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: staff · wax · rush · club · present · row · mouse · race

  1. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. present — the time now
  3. row — to paddle
  4. race — humankind
  5. wax — to grow
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. club — a group
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. race — a contest
  10. race — the arms race
  11. row — a line
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. staff — employees
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. staff — a stick
  17. staff — employees
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. club — for dancing
  20. present — there
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. rush — hurry
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. club — for golf

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