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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: chip · season · chest · wax · ball · toast · snap · perch

  1. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  20. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. chest — a box
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. ball — a great time
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. perch — the fish
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. toast — bread
  12. chip — for betting
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. season — of the year
  16. ball — a dance
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. chip — to eat
  19. chest — of your body
  20. chest — of your body
  21. snap — to click
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. wax — to grow
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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