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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 116 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: last · suit · cabinet · wax · fan · bore · sharp · chip

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. wax — to grow
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. bore — to drill
  6. suit — to fit
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. sharp — clever
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. last — final
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. chip — to eat
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. last — finally
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. bore — to tire
  22. suit — in cards
  23. chip — for betting
  24. last — to go 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