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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: arm · cap · track · prune · stock · wax · mug · lie

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. track — to keep track
  3. prune — to trim
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. cap — of ice
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. mug — a face
  9. mug — a cup
  10. cap — a hat
  11. lie — to recline
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. stock — goods
  15. prune — to trim
  16. cap — a lid
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. stock — shares
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. track — a path
  21. track — a song
  22. mug — to rob
  23. wax — to grow
  24. wax — for sculpting

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