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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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. fine — high quality
  3. staff — employees
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. fork — in a road
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. staff — employees
  9. fine — all right
  10. staff — a stick
  11. wound — an injury
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. chip — to eat
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. wound — an injury
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. plane — a tool
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. wax — to grow

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