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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
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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: bass · wax · press · board · drill · fork · chip · row

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. press — a publisher
  6. press — to push
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. board — to get on
  9. bass — low music
  10. row — to paddle
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. bass — the fish
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. chip — to eat
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. drill — army training
  17. press — newspapers
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. wax — to grow
  20. drill — the tool
  21. chip — for betting
  22. board — a committee
  23. drill — a practice
  24. row — a line

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