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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 museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — for sculpting
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. mark — a trace
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. squash — the sport
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. wax — to grow
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. squash — to crush
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. mark — a grade

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