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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: suit · game · rest · wax · wake · chip · nail · rash

  1. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. wake — a trail
  3. game — a match
  4. suit — to fit
  5. rest — what's left
  6. rash — hasty
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. game — wild animals
  9. chip — to eat
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. chip — for betting
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. wax — to grow
  15. suit — in cards
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. suit — clothes
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. rest — what's left
  23. rest — a break
  24. nail — for a hammer

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