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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. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. wound — an injury
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. stand — to bear
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. wax — to grow
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. bark — to shout
  21. wound — an injury
  22. chair — a leader
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. rush — hurry

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