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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 120 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: hide · foot · wax · chip · deal · mark · hand · club

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. hand — in cards
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. deal — to handle
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. chip — to eat
  9. wax — to grow
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. club — for golf
  12. club — a group
  13. foot — a measure
  14. mark — a grade
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. club — for dancing
  17. mark — a trace
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. hand — help
  24. hand — part of the body

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