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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 museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — for sculpting
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. content — the amount
  5. fork — in a road
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. stand — to bear
  8. squash — to crush
  9. content — happy
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. rush — hurry
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. wax — to grow
  23. squash — the sport
  24. trunk — of a car

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