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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 · wax · fan · straw · staff · mug · wave · dip

  1. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. dip — to sink
  7. staff — a stick
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. mug — a cup
  12. mug — a face
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. wax — to grow
  15. bark — to shout
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. mug — to rob
  19. staff — employees
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. staff — employees
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. straw — a straw man

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