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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 120 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
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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: game · wax · chair · bank · wave · sharp · chip · craft

  1. That was a fun ________________.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. bank — of a river
  4. wax — to grow
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. chair — a leader
  9. bank — for money
  10. game — wild animals
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. chip — for betting
  15. chip — to eat
  16. craft — a skill
  17. bank — for money
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. craft — boats
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. sharp — clever
  24. chair — to sit on

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