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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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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 · race · bowl · dip · cue · safe · suit · date

  1. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  20. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. suit — in cards
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. suit — to fit
  7. cue — for pool
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. dip — to sink
  10. cue — a hint
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. wax — to grow
  17. suit — clothes
  18. race — humankind
  19. date — the fruit
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. race — a contest
  23. cue — a signal
  24. race — the arms race

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