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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 chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. bore — to tire
  4. bark — to shout
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. mark — a trace
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. mark — a grade
  11. wax — to grow
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. band — a music group
  16. bore — to drill
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. rule — a law
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. rule — government
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. band — a ring
  24. mark — to pay attention

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