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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.

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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: cell · chair · wax · dip · chip · game · safe · key

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. key — in music
  5. key — for a lock
  6. chip — to eat
  7. wax — to grow
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. game — a match
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. chair — a leader
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. dip — to sink
  20. cell — a phone
  21. game — wild animals
  22. cell — in biology
  23. key — the most important part
  24. dip — to dunk

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