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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 120 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 · nail · wave · stick · fine · wake · fall · pitcher

  1. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. chip — to eat
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. chip — for betting
  9. fall — to drop
  10. wake — a trail
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. fall — to drop
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. fine — all right
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. fine — high quality

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