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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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. saw — the tool
  5. root — of a word
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. bark — to shout
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. wax — to grow
  10. mug — a face
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. can — to be able to
  15. can — a tin
  16. root — the cause
  17. saw — the tool
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. mug — to rob
  20. root — of a plant
  21. dip — to sink
  22. can — a tin
  23. mug — a cup
  24. wax — for sculpting

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