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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 · march · wax · stand · net · rock · rush · cap

  1. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. rock — a stone
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. march — the month
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. net — after costs
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. march — music
  10. cap — of ice
  11. net — for catching
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. march — the month
  15. rock — music
  16. cap — a lid
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. cap — a hat
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. rush — hurry
  22. wax — to grow
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. stand — to bear

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