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

Word bank: can · temple · wax · chip · chair · kid · stand · root

  1. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  8. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. kid — child
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. chip — to eat
  5. wax — to grow
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  8. kid — to tease
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. stand — to bear
  11. root — of a word
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. root — the cause
  14. can — a tin
  15. root — of a plant
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. can — a tin
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. can — to be able to
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. chip — for betting
  24. chair — a leader

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