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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.

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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: wax · file · mug · bark · swing · deal · pound · calf

  1. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. mug — to rob
  3. swing — in golf
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. swing — to play on
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. file — a line of people
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. mug — a face
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. swing — music
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. file — a document
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. bark — to shout
  18. pound — a weight
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. file — a tool
  21. deal — to handle
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. mug — a cup
  24. wax — to grow

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