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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.

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: lean · trunk · band · wax · root · mug · bear · dip

  1. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. wax — to grow
  4. root — of a word
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. bear — the animal
  7. band — a ring
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. band — a music group
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. bear — the animal
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. root — of a plant
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. mug — a face
  19. mug — a cup
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. lean — to bend
  22. lean — thin
  23. dip — to sink
  24. mug — to rob

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