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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 tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  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. wax — for sculpting
  3. board — a committee
  4. row — a line
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. foot — a measure
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. chair — a leader
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. wax — to grow
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. row — to paddle
  20. board — to get on
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. foot — part of the body
  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