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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 120 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 · track · rash · snap · lean · fine · can · trunk

  1. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. lean — to bend
  3. fine — high quality
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. can — a tin
  6. snap — to click
  7. track — a path
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. wax — to grow
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. track — to keep track
  13. fine — all right
  14. rash — hasty
  15. rash — a series
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. lean — thin
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. can — a tin
  24. can — to be able to

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