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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: hand · wax · ruler · cap · trunk · mouse · arm · stand

  1. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. cap — a lid
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. cap — a hat
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. hand — in cards
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. cap — of ice
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. stand — to bear
  24. hand — help

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