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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. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. firm — a company
  4. snap — to click
  5. wax — to grow
  6. drill — a practice
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. drill — army training
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. kid — child
  11. chip — for betting
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. firm — steady
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. chip — to eat
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. season — in sport
  19. firm — decided
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. season — of the year
  22. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  23. kid — to tease
  24. season — to add flavour

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