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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 116 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
468
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: cue · bulb · trunk · wax · fall · mate · ball · bank

  1. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. ball — a great time
  3. bulb — for light
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. cue — a hint
  6. bank — for money
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. mate — a friend
  10. bank — for money
  11. bank — of a river
  12. ball — a dance
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. fall — to drop
  15. bulb — for light
  16. cue — a signal
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. mate — a partner
  19. fall — the season
  20. mate — to breed
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. wax — to grow
  24. cue — for pool

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