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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 · leaves · tube · temple · court · wax · stick · mate

  1. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. court — of a king
  3. court — of law
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. mate — to breed
  6. wax — to grow
  7. mate — a partner
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. court — for sport
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. tube — a container
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. mate — a friend
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. leaves — of a tree

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