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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. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. dip — to sink
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. lie — to recline
  9. ball — a dance
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. squash — to crush
  13. squash — the sport
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. wax — to grow
  16. ball — a great time
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. stand — to bear
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. stand — for spectators

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