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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: staff · sharp · toast · can · wax · leaves · squash · trunk

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. squash — the sport
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. sharp — clever
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. staff — a stick
  11. can — a tin
  12. squash — to crush
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. wax — to grow
  15. toast — bread
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. staff — employees
  21. can — to be able to
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. staff — employees

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