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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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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 · stem · arm · cue · safe · wave · wax · file

  1. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. file — a line of people
  3. race — the arms race
  4. file — a document
  5. cue — a signal
  6. cue — for pool
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. wax — to grow
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. race — a contest
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. stem — to come from
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. file — a tool
  23. race — humankind
  24. wave — with your hand

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