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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 sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. board — to get on
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. rush — hurry
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. deal — to handle
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. fork — in a road
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. board — a committee
  22. wax — to grow
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. fork — to eat with

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