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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: temple · wake · drill · craft · bowl · trunk · wax · toast

  1. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. toast — bread
  5. craft — boats
  6. drill — army training
  7. drill — the tool
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. craft — a skill
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. wake — a trail
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. drill — a practice
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. wax — to grow

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