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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: club · rock · race · ruler · stand · wax · pop · pitcher

  1. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — for sculpting
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. rock — a stone
  5. rock — music
  6. pop — music
  7. pop — to visit
  8. race — a contest
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. club — a group
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. race — the arms race
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. club — for golf
  19. race — humankind
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. club — for dancing
  22. wax — to grow
  23. pop — soda
  24. stand — to bear

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