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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 116 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. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. fall — the season
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. wax — to grow
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. fall — to drop
  9. branch — a division
  10. stock — goods
  11. wake — a trail
  12. bound — tied together
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. bound — obliged
  15. bound — certain
  16. stock — shares
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. rest — a break
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. fall — to drop
  21. rest — what's left
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. rest — what's left
  24. wax — in the ear

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