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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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. bank — for money
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. bank — of a river
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. bank — for money
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. wake — a trail
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. wax — to grow
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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