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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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. wax — to grow
  4. kid — child
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. club — for dancing
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. present — there
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. toast — bread
  13. club — for golf
  14. lean — to bend
  15. club — a group
  16. bore — to drill
  17. lean — thin
  18. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  19. chip — to eat
  20. kid — to tease
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. bore — to tire
  23. present — the time now
  24. present — a gift

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