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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. can — a tin
  5. bark — to shout
  6. toast — bread
  7. lean — to bend
  8. can — a tin
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. march — the month
  12. march — the month
  13. wax — to grow
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. mark — a trace
  18. lean — thin
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. can — to be able to
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. march — music

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