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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: board · calf · fan · chip · pound · wax · band · game

  1. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. chip — for betting
  9. band — a music group
  10. game — a match
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. wax — to grow
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. board — a committee
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. game — wild animals
  17. chip — to eat
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. band — a ring
  22. pound — a weight
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. board — to get on

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