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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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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 potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. wax — to grow
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. content — the amount
  5. rock — a stone
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. deal — to handle
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. chip — for betting
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. cap — a lid
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. rock — music
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. content — happy
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. cap — of ice
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. cap — a hat

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