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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 museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. wax — for sculpting
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. season — in sport
  11. deal — to handle
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. vault — a safe
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. season — of the year
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. wax — to grow
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. bark — to shout
  24. cabinet — ministers

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