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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: cell · ruler · nail · wake · plane · chip · toast · wax

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  19. He was locked up in a ________________.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. wax — to grow
  3. chip — to eat
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. plane — a tool
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. wake — a trail
  13. toast — bread
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. cell — a phone
  19. cell — in a prison
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. cell — in biology

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