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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 · arm · toast · present · nail · season · cue · chip

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. present — the time now
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. present — there
  7. toast — bread
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. present — a gift
  10. chip — to eat
  11. cue — for pool
  12. chip — for betting
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. season — in sport
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. cue — a signal
  18. cue — a hint
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. wax — to grow
  21. season — of the year
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. wax — in the ear

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