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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. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. object — a thing
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. tube — the underground
  7. wax — to grow
  8. tube — a container
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. object — an aim
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. prune — to trim
  15. prune — to trim
  16. object — to protest
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. rock — a stone
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. stand — to bear
  24. rock — 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