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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.

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: cell · trunk · hide · mug · game · pit · bank · wax

  1. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. He was locked up in a ________________.
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. bank — for money
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. cell — in a prison
  7. cell — in biology
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. pit — in a race
  10. cell — a phone
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. mug — to rob
  13. mug — a cup
  14. wax — to grow
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. bank — of a river
  18. pit — a hole
  19. game — wild animals
  20. game — a match
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. bank — for money
  23. mug — a face
  24. trunk — of a tree

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