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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: drill · wax · chair · chip · ruler · pitch

  1. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. chip — to eat
  3. drill — a practice
  4. drill — army training
  5. chair — a professorship
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. drill — the tool
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. chip — for betting
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. pitch — completely
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. wax — to grow
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. chair — a leader
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. 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