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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 120 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 ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. stand — to bear
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. club — a group
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. bark — to shout
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. net — for catching
  10. wax — to grow
  11. charge — a price
  12. club — for golf
  13. net — after costs
  14. court — for sport
  15. club — for dancing
  16. court — of a king
  17. charge — electricity
  18. net — in sport
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. charge — in control
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. court — of law

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