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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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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: trunk · toast · face · kick · bear · craft · wax · mark

  1. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — the most admired
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. craft — boats
  4. wax — to grow
  5. mark — a grade
  6. mark — a trace
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. bear — the animal
  9. toast — bread
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. face — to confront
  12. face — part of the head
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. bear — the animal
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. face — to point toward
  20. kick — in football
  21. craft — a skill
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. mark — to pay attention

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