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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: trunk · craft · rush · wax · bark · cue · calf · snap

  1. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. cue — for pool
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. rush — hurry
  6. craft — boats
  7. cue — a signal
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. craft — a skill
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. cue — a hint
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. bark — to shout
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. snap — to click
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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