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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. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. Have you settled on a ________________?
  23. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. wax — to grow
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. date — the fruit
  8. shower — to wash
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. shower — rain
  14. staff — employees
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. chip — to eat
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. staff — employees
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. shower — a meteor shower
  24. staff — a stick

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