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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: court · pass · race · plane · cue · jam · wax · lash

  1. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — for sculpting
  2. race — humankind
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. court — of law
  6. cue — a hint
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. court — of a king
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. race — a contest
  15. pass — a permit
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. court — for sport
  18. wax — to grow
  19. plane — a tool
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. race — the arms race
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. cue — a signal
  24. cue — for pool

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