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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. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. last — finally
  3. present — there
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. firm — a company
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. field — for sport
  8. firm — decided
  9. firm — steady
  10. present — the time now
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. field — farmland
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. field — a subject
  15. present — a gift
  16. chip — for betting
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. last — to go on
  21. last — final
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. wax — to grow
  24. ruler — a monarch

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