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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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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: wax · chip · pound · stick · object · tube · wound · fork

  1. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — for sculpting
  2. chip — for betting
  3. object — an aim
  4. object — to protest
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. tube — the underground
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. object — a thing
  9. wax — to grow
  10. pound — a weight
  11. fork — in a road
  12. chip — to eat
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. tube — a container
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. wound — past of 'wind'
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. wound — an injury
  22. wound — an injury
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. fork — a garden tool

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