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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.

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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: net · staff · wax · tube · calf · present · hand · chip

  1. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. chip — for betting
  3. tube — the underground
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. net — in sport
  6. net — after costs
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. hand — in cards
  11. chip — to eat
  12. staff — employees
  13. wax — to grow
  14. staff — a stick
  15. present — there
  16. hand — help
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. net — for catching
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. present — the time now
  23. present — a gift
  24. staff — employees

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