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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. wax — to grow
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. mate — a friend
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. squash — to crush
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. mate — to breed
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. squash — the sport
  18. mate — a partner

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