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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: cold · mate · net · leaves · racket · wax · chip · mouse

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. The water is too ________________.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. mate — to breed
  3. chip — to eat
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. net — in sport
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. chip — for betting
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. cold — an illness
  16. mate — a partner
  17. net — after costs
  18. cold — the Cold War
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. cold — not warm
  22. mate — a friend
  23. wax — to grow
  24. net — for catching

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