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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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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: trunk · wax · bay · plane · roll · root · date · pit

  1. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. Have you settled on a ________________?
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. pit — in a race
  4. wax — to grow
  5. roll — a cake
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. date — the fruit
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. root — of a word
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. roll — a list
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. root — the cause
  19. pit — a hole
  20. plane — a tool
  21. root — of a plant
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. wax — for sculpting

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