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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: mouse · trunk · snap · foot · mate · lean · leaves · wax

  1. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. lean — thin
  8. foot — a measure
  9. wax — to grow
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. mate — to breed
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. lean — to bend
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. mate — a partner
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. snap — to click

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