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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: pass · stock · lean · wax · chip · swing · hand · cabinet

  1. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. hand — in cards
  3. chip — for betting
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. lean — to bend
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. lean — thin
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. chip — to eat
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. swing — music
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. wax — to grow
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. swing — to play on
  20. stock — shares
  21. stock — goods
  22. pass — a permit
  23. hand — help
  24. swing — in golf

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