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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 moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. vault — a safe
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. ball — a dance
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. bark — to shout
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. ball — a great time
  15. foot — a measure
  16. saw — the tool
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. saw — the tool
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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