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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: cabinet · trunk · spell · wax · branch · hide · mug · mark

  1. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. spell — a short time
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. mark — a trace
  7. mug — a face
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. spell — letters
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. branch — a division
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. spell — magic
  16. mug — to rob
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. mark — a grade
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. wax — to grow
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. trunk — of a car

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