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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: arm · chip · roll · wax · patient · nail · staff · bank

  1. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. We're on a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. bank — for money
  4. chip — to eat
  5. chip — for betting
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. bank — of a river
  10. bank — for money
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. staff — employees
  16. roll — a list
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. staff — employees
  19. roll — a cake
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. wax — to grow
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. roll — on a roll

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