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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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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: pass · prune · cue · trunk · wax · present · toast · band

  1. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  2. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. toast — bread
  3. wax — to grow
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. cue — a signal
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. present — the time now
  10. prune — to trim
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. pass — a permit
  14. cue — for pool
  15. band — a music group
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. present — a gift
  20. present — there
  21. prune — to trim
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. cue — a hint
  24. band — a ring

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