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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 120 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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: mark · trunk · cue · tear · bore · pop · patient · wax

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. mark — a trace
  6. pop — to visit
  7. tear — from crying
  8. mark — a grade
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. bore — to tire
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. pop — soda
  16. bore — to drill
  17. pop — music
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. tear — to rip
  20. wax — to grow
  21. cue — a signal
  22. tear — from crying
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. cue — a hint

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