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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 ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. rest — what's left
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. wind — moving air
  7. wind — moving air
  8. bark — to shout
  9. mate — a partner
  10. wind — to turn a key
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. wax — to grow
  15. bulb — for light
  16. rest — a break
  17. mate — a friend
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. bulb — for light
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. mate — to breed

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