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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 120 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: bank · root · season · mate · plane · wax · tear · chip

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  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. chip — in a computer
  2. mate — a partner
  3. bank — for money
  4. root — of a plant
  5. tear — from crying
  6. season — in sport
  7. plane — a tool
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. mate — a friend
  10. bank — for money
  11. bank — of a river
  12. mate — to breed
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. season — of the year
  15. root — of a word
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. tear — from crying
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. wax — to grow
  20. tear — to rip
  21. chip — to eat
  22. root — the cause
  23. plane — an aircraft
  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