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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
468
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 · temple · mouse · field · press · trunk · wax · nail

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. wax — to grow
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. field — farmland
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. chip — to eat
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. field — for sport
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. press — a publisher
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. chip — for betting
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. press — newspapers
  22. field — a subject
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. press — to push

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