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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: squash · wax · track · net · leaves · chip · stick · present

  1. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. net — after costs
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. chip — for betting
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. chip — to eat
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. net — in sport
  9. squash — to crush
  10. present — the time now
  11. squash — the sport
  12. present — there
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. track — a song
  16. present — a gift
  17. track — to keep track
  18. track — a path
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. net — for catching
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. wax — to grow
  24. leaves — of a tree

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