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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. The ball is in your ________________.
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. court — for sport
  3. march — the month
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. board — to get on
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. board — a committee
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. court — of a king
  15. court — of law
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. wax — to grow
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. bore — to drill
  21. march — music
  22. bore — to tire
  23. march — the month
  24. mouse — the animal

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