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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 120 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.

Words on the sheet
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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: pass · bowl · object · land · wax · press · club · bark

  1. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. club — a group
  3. bark — to shout
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. land — ground
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. club — for golf
  12. object — an aim
  13. press — newspapers
  14. press — a publisher
  15. object — a thing
  16. land — to come down
  17. land — a country
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. wax — to grow
  20. object — to protest
  21. club — for dancing
  22. pass — a permit
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. press — to push

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