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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: mouse · kick · wax · trunk · lash · bark · jam · club

  1. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. bark — to shout
  9. wax — to grow
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. club — a group
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. club — for golf
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. kick — in football
  23. club — for dancing
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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