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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: wax · racket · face · stand · straw · trunk · toast · foot

  1. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. face — to confront
  15. wax — to grow
  16. toast — bread
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. face — to point toward
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. stand — to bear
  23. face — part of the head
  24. foot — a measure

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