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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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. tube — a container
  4. lie — to recline
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. wax — to grow
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. bank — of a river
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. scale — in music
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. bank — for money
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. tube — the underground
  23. scale — size or range
  24. perch — the fish

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