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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: firm · board · wax · foot · craft · chip · hide · rule

  1. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. rule — government
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. board — to get on
  11. foot — a measure
  12. firm — decided
  13. wax — to grow
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. firm — a company
  16. chip — to eat
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. board — a committee
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. chip — for betting
  21. craft — a skill
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. rule — a law
  24. craft — boats

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