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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: safe · bore · mine · wax · mark · fall · chip · roll

  1. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. chip — for betting
  3. chip — to eat
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. roll — a list
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. fall — to drop
  11. bore — to drill
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. fall — the season
  14. bore — to tire
  15. wax — to grow
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. mark — a trace
  18. mark — a grade
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. mine — for digging
  23. roll — a cake
  24. safe — a strongbox

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