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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 124 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. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — for sculpting
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. pop — to visit
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. staff — a stick
  7. staff — employees
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. pop — soda
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. lie — to recline
  14. rock — a stone
  15. can — to be able to
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. pop — music
  18. rock — music
  19. can — a tin
  20. wax — to grow
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. can — a tin
  23. bark — to shout
  24. staff — employees

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