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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.

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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 · board · suit · mate · spell · band · club · wax

  1. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. suit — in cards
  3. club — for golf
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. suit — to fit
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. mate — a friend
  8. spell — a short time
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. mate — to breed
  11. board — a committee
  12. club — a group
  13. spell — letters
  14. board — to get on
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. club — for dancing
  19. spell — magic
  20. mate — a partner
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. wax — to grow
  23. band — a ring
  24. suit — clothes

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