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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 120 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
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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: lie · fork · cap · mark · squash · pitcher · trunk · wax

  1. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. lie — to recline
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. squash — to crush
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. fork — in a road
  8. cap — a lid
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. mark — a grade
  11. cap — a hat
  12. wax — to grow
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. squash — the sport
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. mark — a trace
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. pitcher — a jug

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