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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 · toast · suit · pitcher · stick · wax · mark · foot

  1. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. suit — in cards
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. mark — a trace
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. toast — bread
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. bark — to shout
  16. suit — clothes
  17. wax — to grow
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. suit — to fit
  21. foot — a measure
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. mark — a grade

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