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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 · bay · wax · race · can · ruler · present · cabinet

  1. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. can — a tin
  4. can — to be able to
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. present — there
  9. race — humankind
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. can — a tin
  13. wax — to grow
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. present — a gift
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. race — the arms race
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. race — a contest
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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