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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. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. object — an aim
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. wax — to grow
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. object — to protest
  13. pit — in a race
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. pit — a hole
  18. object — a thing
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. bark — to shout
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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