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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: trunk · object · mate · wax · roll · kid · toast · firm

  1. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  6. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. object — a thing
  3. wax — to grow
  4. firm — decided
  5. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  6. kid — child
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. toast — bread
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. object — to protest
  13. roll — a list
  14. mate — a friend
  15. firm — steady
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. kid — to tease
  18. firm — a company
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. roll — a cake
  21. mate — a partner
  22. object — an aim
  23. mate — to breed
  24. trunk — of a tree

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