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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: bat · wax · lie · chip · trunk · pass · craft · saw

  1. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. bat — in an idiom
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. wax — to grow
  12. lie — to recline
  13. saw — the tool
  14. saw — the tool
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. bat — the animal
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. craft — a skill
  20. chip — to eat
  21. craft — boats
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. chip — for betting
  24. pass — a permit

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