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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: temple · wax · hide · perch · ball · cabinet · trunk · track

  1. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. track — to keep track
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. track — a path
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. track — a song
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. perch — the fish
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. ball — a dance
  18. wax — to grow
  19. ball — a great time
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. trunk — of a tree

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