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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 soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. staff — employees
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. drill — a practice
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. game — a match
  11. bass — the fish
  12. staff — a stick
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. charge — electricity
  15. drill — the tool
  16. charge — in control
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. bark — to shout
  19. bass — low music
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. game — wild animals
  22. staff — employees
  23. charge — a price
  24. wax — to grow

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