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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
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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: wax · bay · mouse · trunk · clip · suit · chip · bark

  1. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Hold the papers together with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. suit — in cards
  6. suit — to fit
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. clip — a video
  11. chip — to eat
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. chip — for betting
  18. clip — to cut
  19. wax — to grow
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. bark — to shout
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. suit — clothes
  24. clip — for paper

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