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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: dip · stand · rock · face · wax · bowl · season · race

  1. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. stand — to bear
  5. season — of the year
  6. dip — to sink
  7. race — the arms race
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. wax — to grow
  13. rock — a stone
  14. rock — music
  15. face — to confront
  16. season — in sport
  17. race — a contest
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. face — part of the head
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. face — to point toward
  22. race — humankind
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. bowl — to roll

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