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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 hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. wax — to grow
  3. land — a country
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. mark — a grade
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. land — to come down
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. chip — for betting
  12. land — ground
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. chip — to eat
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. mug — a face
  20. mug — a cup
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. mug — to rob
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. wax — for sculpting

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