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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 116 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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: race · wax · can · band · safe · pitch · court · staff

  1. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. staff — a stick
  6. can — to be able to
  7. pitch — completely
  8. court — of a king
  9. band — a music group
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. can — a tin
  13. band — a ring
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. can — a tin
  16. staff — employees
  17. court — for sport
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. race — the arms race
  20. race — a contest
  21. court — of law
  22. staff — employees
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. wax — to grow

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