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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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. can — a tin
  3. branch — a division
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. chip — to eat
  6. can — to be able to
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. pop — to visit
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. mark — a grade
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. wax — to grow
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. pop — music
  18. can — a tin
  19. mark — a trace
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. pop — soda
  22. pound — a weight
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. wave — of the sea

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