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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: fork · wax · suit · swing · wake · perch · trunk · board

  1. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. swing — in golf
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. suit — to fit
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. wax — to grow
  8. perch — the fish
  9. board — to get on
  10. wake — a trail
  11. swing — music
  12. swing — to play on
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. fork — in a road
  15. suit — clothes
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. suit — in cards
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. board — a committee
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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