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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. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. tube — a container
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. tube — the underground
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. bark — to shout
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. bass — low music
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. bass — the fish
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. wax — to grow
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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