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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.

Make a worksheet

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: wave · can · fork · wax · mug · mine · bark · file

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. file — a line of people
  3. mug — a face
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. mine — for digging
  9. can — a tin
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. fork — in a road
  12. file — a tool
  13. wax — to grow
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. bark — to shout
  17. can — to be able to
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. can — a tin
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. mug — to rob
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. file — a document
  24. mug — a cup

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