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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
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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: cabinet · leaves · bore · cap · court · wax · rest · trunk

  1. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. cap — a hat
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. rest — what's left
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. rest — what's left
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. bore — to drill
  11. court — of a king
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. court — of law
  15. cap — a lid
  16. cap — of ice
  17. wax — to grow
  18. court — for sport
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. rest — a break
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. bore — gave birth

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