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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: coach · wax · trunk · ball · root · lie · court · nail

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. The ball is in your ________________.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. court — for sport
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. root — of a word
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. court — of law
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. court — of a king
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. wax — to grow
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. root — the cause
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. ball — a dance
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. ball — a great time
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. root — of a plant
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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