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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: bay · ball · last · stick · wax · chip · jam · cabinet

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. chip — to eat
  7. wax — to grow
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. ball — a great time
  16. last — finally
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. last — final
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. last — to go on
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. ball — a dance

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