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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: chip · wax · fan · pitcher · calf · snap · plane · firm

  1. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to click
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. chip — for betting
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. firm — decided
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. wax — to grow
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. plane — a tool
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. firm — steady
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. firm — a company
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. chip — to eat

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