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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 tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. ball — a great time
  5. ball — a dance
  6. snap — to click
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. wax — to grow
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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