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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 · rush · lean · pit · row · wax · cap · nail

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. row — to paddle
  4. lean — thin
  5. row — a line
  6. rush — hurry
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. wax — to grow
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. pit — a hole
  13. chip — to eat
  14. lean — to bend
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. chip — for betting
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. pit — in a race
  20. cap — of ice
  21. cap — a hat
  22. cap — a lid
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. wax — in the ear

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