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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. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. ground — crushed
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. chip — for betting
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. drill — army training
  8. wax — to grow
  9. ground — the earth
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. drill — the tool
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. can — to be able to
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. ground — a position
  17. can — a tin
  18. pass — a permit
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. can — a tin
  21. plane — a tool
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. drill — a practice
  24. cabinet — ministers

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