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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 elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. chip — to eat
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. bark — to shout
  8. cue — a signal
  9. cue — for pool
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. board — to get on
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. board — a committee
  17. cue — a hint
  18. wax — to grow
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. chip — for betting
  24. bark — of a tree

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