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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. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. cue — for pool
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. cue — a hint
  5. bark — to shout
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. bank — of a river
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. bank — for money
  15. dip — to sink
  16. wax — to grow
  17. saw — the tool
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. bank — for money
  20. bulb — for light
  21. cue — a signal
  22. saw — the tool
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. bulb — for light

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