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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 116 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: chip · band · wax · safe · root · pound · shower · fine

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. root — of a word
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. chip — for betting
  5. shower — rain
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. fine — all right
  11. pound — a weight
  12. band — a music group
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. root — of a plant
  15. wax — to grow
  16. band — a ring
  17. chip — to eat
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. root — the cause
  22. shower — to wash
  23. fine — high quality
  24. pound — to hit hard

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