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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 116 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 tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. wound — an injury
  8. pass — a permit
  9. club — a group
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. pit — in a race
  12. wound — an injury
  13. pit — a hole
  14. club — for golf
  15. wax — to grow
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. club — for dancing
  18. pass — to spend time

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