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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: chip · tube · calf · scale · fine · wax · swing · pass

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. chip — for betting
  4. pass — a permit
  5. scale — size or range
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. scale — in music
  8. wax — to grow
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. swing — to play on
  15. tube — the underground
  16. fine — all right
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. swing — in golf
  20. fine — high quality
  21. tube — a container
  22. chip — to eat
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. swing — music

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