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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 116 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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. bark — to shout
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. club — for golf
  7. press — to push
  8. press — newspapers
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. cue — a hint
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. club — for dancing
  13. cue — a signal
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. cue — for pool
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. wake — a trail
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. wax — to grow
  23. press — a publisher
  24. club — a group

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