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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. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. content — the amount
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. fall — to drop
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. stand — to bear
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. fall — to drop
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. pit — a hole
  16. content — happy
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. fall — the season
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. pit — in a race
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. wax — to grow
  24. nail — for a hammer

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