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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.

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: perch · trunk · wax · tube · fan · rush · bore · bark

  1. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. bore — to tire
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. perch — the fish
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. bark — to shout
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. wax — to grow
  21. tube — the underground
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. bore — to drill
  24. rush — hurry

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