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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: temple · wax · cue · drill · squash · snap · craft · trunk

  1. When was this ________________ built?
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. drill — the tool
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. drill — army training
  8. cue — a hint
  9. craft — a skill
  10. craft — boats
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. cue — for pool
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. wax — to grow
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. squash — the sport
  18. cue — a signal
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. drill — a practice
  21. snap — to click
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. squash — to crush
  24. wax — in the ear

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