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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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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: stick · arm · wound · chip · bowl · root · cue · wax

  1. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — for sculpting
  2. wound — an injury
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. root — the cause
  7. root — of a plant
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. chip — to eat
  10. wound — an injury
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. chip — for betting
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. wax — to grow
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. cue — a hint
  17. root — of a word
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. cue — a signal
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. cue — for pool
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. arm — part of the body

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