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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: spell · fall · can · foot · wax · race · safe · stock

  1. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  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. spell — magic
  2. fall — to drop
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. fall — to drop
  5. race — the arms race
  6. wax — to grow
  7. stock — shares
  8. can — to be able to
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. can — a tin
  11. fall — the season
  12. race — humankind
  13. spell — a short time
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. stock — goods
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. foot — a measure
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. race — a contest
  22. can — a tin
  23. spell — letters
  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