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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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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: wax · bay · present · chip · cell · board · swing · deal

  1. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  21. He was locked up in a ________________.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — for sculpting
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. deal — to handle
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. swing — to play on
  8. chip — to eat
  9. swing — music
  10. board — a committee
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. wax — to grow
  13. present — there
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. cell — a phone
  16. chip — for betting
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. present — a gift
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. cell — in biology
  21. cell — in a prison
  22. swing — in golf
  23. present — the time now
  24. board — to get on

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