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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: rock · hide · sharp · trunk · kick · wax · ruler · court

  1. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. court — of law
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. rock — a stone
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. rock — music
  10. wax — to grow
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. sharp — clever
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. court — of a king
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. court — for sport
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. wax — in the ear

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