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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: lie · chip · arm · wax · straw · bass · present · fan

  1. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — for sculpting
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. bass — the fish
  7. bass — low music
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. lie — to recline
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. chip — to eat
  16. chip — for betting
  17. present — there
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. wax — to grow
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. straw — to clutch at straws
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. present — a gift
  24. present — the time now

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