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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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. staff — a stick
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. ball — a dance
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. staff — employees
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. rest — a break
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. staff — employees
  14. band — a music group
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. band — a ring
  19. rest — what's left
  20. ball — a great time
  21. wax — to grow
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. nail — on a finger

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