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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 · leaves · mouse · lie · band · deal · wax · vault

  1. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. wax — to grow
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. vault — a safe
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. deal — to handle
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. lie — to recline
  19. band — a ring
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. mouse — the animal

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