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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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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: nail · safe · chip · wax · fork · spell · tube · race

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. wax — to grow
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. chip — to eat
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. race — a contest
  9. fork — in a road
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. spell — a short time
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. tube — the underground
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. race — humankind
  17. tube — a container
  18. race — the arms race
  19. chip — for betting
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. spell — magic
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. spell — letters

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