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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 116 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. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — for sculpting
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. board — a committee
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. deal — to handle
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. suit — to fit
  8. suit — in cards
  9. chair — a leader
  10. board — to get on
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. bark — to shout
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. wax — to grow
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. rash — a series
  19. rash — hasty
  20. suit — clothes
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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