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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: wax · ruler · safe · content · rash · fork · trunk · hide

  1. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. rash — hasty
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. rash — a series
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. wax — to grow
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. content — happy
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. content — the amount
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. fork — in a road
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. wax — for sculpting

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