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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. march — the month
  6. track — a song
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. track — to keep track
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. wax — to grow
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. track — a path
  18. march — the month
  19. march — music
  20. pitch — completely
  21. suit — clothes
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. suit — to fit

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