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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: present · key · suit · wax · cap · race · pitcher · toast

  1. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. cap — a hat
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. race — the arms race
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. key — in music
  7. toast — bread
  8. suit — to fit
  9. present — there
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. race — humankind
  13. wax — to grow
  14. key — for a lock
  15. suit — in cards
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. cap — of ice
  18. race — a contest
  19. key — the most important part
  20. suit — clothes
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. present — a gift
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. present — the time now

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