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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — for sculpting
  2. chip — for betting
  3. stem — to come from
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. wound — an injury
  8. march — the month
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. wound — past of 'wind'
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. wound — an injury
  16. staff — employees
  17. wax — to grow
  18. staff — employees
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. march — the month
  22. chip — to eat
  23. march — music
  24. staff — a stick

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