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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.

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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: wax · pitch · spell · club · race · cue · swing · safe

  1. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. race — the arms race
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. spell — letters
  5. swing — in golf
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. race — humankind
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. pitch — completely
  10. cue — for pool
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. spell — magic
  13. club — a group
  14. swing — to play on
  15. wax — to grow
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. spell — a short time
  18. cue — a hint
  19. cue — a signal
  20. club — for golf
  21. swing — music
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. club — for dancing

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