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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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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: pit · chair · racket · sharp · chip · safe · wax · race

  1. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. chair — a leader
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. race — humankind
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. pit — in a race
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. chip — to eat
  18. pit — a hole
  19. race — a contest
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. wax — to grow
  23. chip — for betting
  24. sharp — clever

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