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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
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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: bay · wax · lean · face · trunk · branch · chair · roll

  1. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. lean — thin
  4. face — part of the head
  5. face — to point toward
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. face — to confront
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. chair — a leader
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. roll — a cake
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. branch — a division
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. lean — to bend
  19. chair — to sit on
  20. roll — a list
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. wax — to grow
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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