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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. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. perch — the fish
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. wax — to grow
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. wake — a trail
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. object — a thing
  21. deal — to handle
  22. object — to protest
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. object — an aim

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