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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: chip · arm · stick · bay · court · wax · wave · rash

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. court — of a king
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. wax — to grow
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. rash — a series
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. court — of law
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. chip — to eat
  18. rash — hasty
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. court — for sport
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. wave — of the sea

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