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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. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — a drink to someone
  2. bank — for money
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. bark — to shout
  5. pop — music
  6. lean — thin
  7. pop — soda
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. wax — to grow
  10. pop — to visit
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. cue — a hint
  14. bank — for money
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. toast — bread
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. bank — of a river
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. cue — for pool
  21. cue — a signal
  22. lean — to bend
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. lean — to rest against

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