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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.

Make a worksheet

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: wax · saw · row · game · suit · trunk · snap · chair

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. row — to paddle
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. snap — to click
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. suit — in cards
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. game — a match
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. row — a line
  12. game — wild animals
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. chair — to sit on
  15. chair — a leader
  16. saw — the tool
  17. suit — to fit
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. suit — clothes
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. wax — to grow
  24. trunk — of a car

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