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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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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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. bank — of a river
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. plane — a tool
  5. wax — to grow
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. track — to keep track
  9. track — a path
  10. stand — to bear
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. ball — a dance
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. bank — for money
  17. chip — for betting
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. ball — a great time
  22. track — a song
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. bank — for money

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