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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 116 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: mug · bark · wax · net · pound · rock · cabinet · stick

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. mug — to rob
  3. wax — to grow
  4. pound — a weight
  5. rock — a stone
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. rock — music
  11. mug — a cup
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. bark — to shout
  17. net — after costs
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. mug — a face
  20. net — for catching
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. net — in sport
  24. rock — to move gently

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