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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: straw · wax · pound · foot · fan · object · pop · chip

  1. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. pop — soda
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. pop — to visit
  6. object — to protest
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. chip — to eat
  10. foot — a measure
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. object — an aim
  16. wax — to grow
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. pound — a weight
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. object — a thing
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. pop — music
  24. chip — for betting

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