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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: bound · mark · trunk · wax · pit · perch · club · bass

  1. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. bass — low music
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. bound — obliged
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. club — a group
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. pit — in a race
  12. mark — a trace
  13. wax — to grow
  14. pit — a hole
  15. bound — tied together
  16. club — for dancing
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. mark — a grade
  19. club — for golf
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. bound — certain
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. bass — the fish
  24. trunk — of a car

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