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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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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: wax · stand · spring · chip · lean · drill · can · key

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. stand — to bear
  3. lean — thin
  4. can — a tin
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. key — for a lock
  8. spring — of water
  9. spring — the season
  10. spring — a coil
  11. can — a tin
  12. key — in music
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. chip — to eat
  17. drill — army training
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. drill — the tool
  20. can — to be able to
  21. wax — to grow
  22. lean — to bend
  23. key — the most important part
  24. drill — a practice

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