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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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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: rash · face · rule · safe · wax · chip · trunk · tear

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. rule — government
  3. tear — from crying
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. rule — a law
  6. face — to confront
  7. tear — to rip
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. rash — a series
  12. tear — from crying
  13. wax — to grow
  14. chip — for betting
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. face — to point toward
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. rash — hasty
  22. face — part of the head
  23. chip — to eat
  24. wax — for sculpting

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