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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: cue · wax · craft · race · pitch · ruler · nail · rest

  1. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. craft — a skill
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. rest — what's left
  5. wax — to grow
  6. race — humankind
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. race — the arms race
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. cue — a hint
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. cue — for pool
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. cue — a signal
  16. race — a contest
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. rest — a break
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. pitch — completely
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. craft — boats
  24. wax — in the ear

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