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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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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: bay · chip · safe · spell · wax · ball · fall · stick

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. chip — for betting
  7. fall — to drop
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. chip — to eat
  10. spell — a short time
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. ball — a dance
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. wax — to grow
  16. fall — the season
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. spell — magic
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. ball — a great time
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. spell — letters
  24. fall — to drop

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