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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 120 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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. firm — decided
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. pitch — completely
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. bark — to shout
  9. wax — to grow
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. court — of a king
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. court — of law
  19. firm — steady
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. firm — a company
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. court — for sport

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