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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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. tube — a container
  5. can — a tin
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. bore — to drill
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. can — to be able to
  12. can — a tin
  13. present — the time now
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. bore — to tire
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. present — there
  22. tube — the underground
  23. wax — to grow
  24. present — a gift

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