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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 moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. face — to point toward
  6. object — to protest
  7. bark — to shout
  8. season — in sport
  9. face — part of the head
  10. season — of the year
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. bound — tied together
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. object — a thing
  17. face — to confront
  18. bound — certain
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. object — an aim
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. bound — obliged
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. cabinet — ministers

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