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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: bore · toast · chip · trunk · wax · object · perch · capital

  1. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. wax — to grow
  5. chip — for betting
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. bore — to tire
  8. capital — money
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. bore — to drill
  11. chip — to eat
  12. object — to protest
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. perch — the fish
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. capital — a city
  17. object — an aim
  18. capital — a big letter
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. toast — bread
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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