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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 116 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. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. wax — to grow
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. capital — a city
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. key — the most important part
  12. key — in music
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. dip — to sink
  17. key — for a lock
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. chip — for betting
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. capital — money
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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