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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 120 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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. wax — to grow
  8. field — farmland
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. pound — a weight
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. field — a subject
  19. plane — a tool
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. field — for sport
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. leaves — lets stay

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