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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: mouse · chip · bank · coach · mate · chest · wax · leaves

  1. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. chip — for betting
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. mate — a partner
  6. bank — for money
  7. mate — to breed
  8. chest — of your body
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. chest — a box
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. chest — of your body
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. bank — of a river
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. wax — to grow
  23. bank — for money
  24. mate — a friend

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