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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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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: snap · wax · wound · calf · bank · chip · fork · lash

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. wax — to grow
  3. wound — an injury
  4. wound — an injury
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. chip — for betting
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. bank — for money
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. snap — to click
  21. fork — in a road
  22. bank — for money
  23. bank — of a river
  24. chip — to eat

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