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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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. bark — to shout
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. stand — to bear
  10. rash — hasty
  11. tube — the underground
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. mark — a trace
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. can — to be able to
  17. rash — a series
  18. can — a tin
  19. mark — a grade
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. can — a tin
  23. wax — to grow
  24. tube — a container

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