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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. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. ground — the earth
  3. wax — to grow
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. mate — a friend
  7. mate — to breed
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. lie — to recline
  11. net — in sport
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. ground — a position
  19. wake — a trail
  20. net — for catching
  21. mate — a partner
  22. net — after costs
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. ground — crushed

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