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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: bound · trunk · race · hide · wax · pop · root · mouse

  1. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. bound — certain
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. wax — to grow
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. race — humankind
  8. pop — soda
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. bound — tied together
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. race — the arms race
  15. root — the cause
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. pop — music
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. bound — obliged
  21. pop — to visit
  22. root — of a word
  23. root — of a plant
  24. race — a contest

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