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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: wax · bark · toast · rule · branch · foot · lash · safe

  1. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. rule — government
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. foot — a measure
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. rule — a law
  8. branch — a division
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. bark — to shout
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. toast — bread
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. wax — to grow

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