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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: wax · row · staff · stand · chip · racket · safe · squash

  1. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. chip — for betting
  3. squash — to crush
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. chip — to eat
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. stand — to bear
  13. row — a line
  14. wax — to grow
  15. staff — employees
  16. staff — a stick
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. squash — the sport
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. row — to paddle
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. safe — out of danger

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