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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. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. shower — to wash
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. present — the time now
  8. bass — the fish
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. present — there
  11. stand — to bear
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. present — a gift
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. wax — to grow
  23. shower — rain
  24. bass — low 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