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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. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. can — to be able to
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. cue — for pool
  7. band — a ring
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. object — a thing
  11. fork — in a road
  12. object — an aim
  13. cue — a signal
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. object — to protest
  16. can — a tin
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. can — a tin
  20. band — a music group
  21. wax — to grow
  22. content — happy
  23. cue — a hint
  24. content — the amount

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