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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: pit · fine · wound · wax · bowl · can · cabinet · bark

  1. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. can — to be able to
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. wax — to grow
  10. wound — an injury
  11. bark — to shout
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. pit — a hole
  15. fine — high quality
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. can — a tin
  18. pit — in a race
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. wound — an injury
  22. fine — all right
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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