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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 120 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: trunk · wax · mug · ball · charge · perch · band · face

  1. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. face — to confront
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. mug — a cup
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. ball — a great time
  9. face — part of the head
  10. charge — in control
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. charge — a price
  14. mug — to rob
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. mug — a face
  17. perch — the fish
  18. charge — electricity
  19. ball — a dance
  20. band — a ring
  21. wax — to grow
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. band — a music group

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