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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: branch · foot · wax · bay · bulb · coach · cue · chip

  1. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. cue — for pool
  5. chip — for betting
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. bulb — for light
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. foot — a measure
  14. wax — to grow
  15. bulb — for light
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. cue — a signal
  20. cue — a hint
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. branch — a division
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. chip — in a computer

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