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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 116 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
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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: cue · cap · field · craft · fan · wax · chip · firm

  1. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  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. firm — steady
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. wax — to grow
  5. firm — a company
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. cue — a signal
  8. cap — a hat
  9. field — farmland
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. field — for sport
  12. firm — decided
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. cap — a lid
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. craft — a skill
  17. chip — to eat
  18. field — a subject
  19. cue — for pool
  20. craft — boats
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. cap — of ice
  23. cue — a hint
  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