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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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468
Word bank
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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. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. chip — for betting
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. swing — to play on
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. land — to come down
  11. wake — a trail
  12. wax — to grow
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. fork — in a road
  16. swing — in golf
  17. swing — music
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. chip — to eat
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. land — a country
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. land — ground

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