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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 · dip · pound · nail · craft · face · safe · chip

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. chip — to eat
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. face — to point toward
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. craft — boats
  13. pound — a weight
  14. dip — to sink
  15. face — part of the head
  16. wax — to grow
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. chip — for betting
  23. face — to confront
  24. craft — a skill

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