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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. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. prune — to trim
  6. pound — a weight
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. wax — to grow
  9. toast — bread
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. bark — to shout
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. prune — to trim
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. safe — out of danger

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