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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 · ground · deal · wax · can · stand · face · present

  1. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. deal — to handle
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. present — a gift
  6. can — a tin
  7. wax — to grow
  8. can — to be able to
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. can — a tin
  11. ground — the earth
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. face — part of the head
  14. present — there
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. ground — crushed
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. stand — to bear
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. face — to point toward
  23. face — to confront
  24. ground — a position

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