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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. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. pop — soda
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. mug — a face
  10. foot — a measure
  11. wax — to grow
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. mug — a cup
  16. pop — music
  17. pop — to visit
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. pound — a weight
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. mug — to rob
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. bark — to shout

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