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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.

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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: stand · ruler · object · fork · wax · race · bark · bear

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. wax — to grow
  3. race — the arms race
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. race — humankind
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. bark — to shout
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. bear — the animal
  12. object — to protest
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. stand — to bear
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. object — a thing
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. object — an aim
  21. fork — in a road
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. race — a contest
  24. bear — to put up with

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