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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. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. cue — a signal
  5. rash — a series
  6. charge — in control
  7. bark — to shout
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. cue — a hint
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. cue — for pool
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. charge — a price
  18. rash — hasty
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. wax — to grow
  22. charge — electricity
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. calf — a young animal

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