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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.

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: chip · swing · land · wax · stand · racket · mug · ground

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. When are we going to ________________?
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. land — to come down
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. swing — music
  6. stand — to bear
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. ground — a position
  9. mug — a face
  10. land — a country
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. chip — to eat
  13. ground — crushed
  14. swing — in golf
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. land — ground
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. ground — the earth
  19. wax — to grow
  20. mug — a cup
  21. chip — for betting
  22. mug — to rob
  23. swing — to play on
  24. racket — for tennis

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