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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: wax · lie · suit · bulb · trunk · land · rush · roll

  1. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  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. lie — an untruth
  2. roll — a list
  3. bulb — for light
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. suit — in cards
  6. wax — to grow
  7. suit — clothes
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. suit — to fit
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. rush — hurry
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. land — to come down
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. roll — a cake
  16. land — ground
  17. lie — to recline
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. bulb — for light
  20. land — a country
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. wax — in the ear

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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