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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 120 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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. bear — the animal
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. bark — to shout
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. bear — the animal
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. pass — a permit
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. wax — to grow
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. dip — to sink
  21. board — a committee
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. board — to get on
  24. hide — to keep secret

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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