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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: bark · fine · hide · jam · wound · cap · bore · wax

  1. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. bore — to drill
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. wound — an injury
  6. bark — to shout
  7. wound — an injury
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. cap — a lid
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. wax — to grow
  14. fine — high quality
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. fine — all right
  21. cap — of ice
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. cap — a hat
  24. bore — to tire

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