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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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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: wax · race · stick · chip · object · fork

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. object — a thing
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. race — the arms race
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. object — to protest
  12. race — humankind
  13. object — an aim
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. wax — to grow
  16. chip — to eat
  17. fork — in a road
  18. race — a contest

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