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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 120 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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. court — of a king
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. wax — to grow
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. court — of law
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. saw — the tool
  9. bank — for money
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. bank — of a river
  13. court — for sport
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. saw — the tool
  18. bank — for money
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. stand — to bear
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. ruler — for measuring

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