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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: rush · wax · vault · root · hide · trunk · bat · ruler

  1. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. root — the cause
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. root — of a plant
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. vault — a safe
  8. root — of a word
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. bat — for baseball
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. wax — to grow
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. bat — the animal
  23. rush — hurry
  24. wax — for sculpting

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