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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 120 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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. file — a document
  5. wax — to grow
  6. chip — to eat
  7. last — finally
  8. suit — clothes
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. suit — in cards
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. suit — to fit
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. file — a line of people
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. chip — for betting
  21. file — a tool
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. last — to go on
  24. last — final

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