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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: pop · staff · chip · stand · pitcher · wax · fine · mouse

  1. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. fine — high quality
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. pop — music
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. chip — to eat
  8. stand — to bear
  9. chip — for betting
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. pop — soda
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. staff — a stick
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. fine — all right
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. staff — employees
  21. pop — to visit
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. wax — to grow
  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