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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.

Make a worksheet

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: cue · trunk · branch · content · tube · date · wax · chair

  1. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. tube — the underground
  3. cue — a signal
  4. wax — to grow
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. tube — a container
  8. cue — a hint
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. cue — for pool
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. chair — to sit on
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. content — the amount
  21. date — the fruit
  22. branch — a division
  23. content — happy
  24. chair — a leader

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