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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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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: cue · fall · bat · toast · patient · object · wax · bark

  1. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. bat — the animal
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. object — an aim
  7. fall — the season
  8. cue — for pool
  9. fall — to drop
  10. object — a thing
  11. cue — a hint
  12. bat — in an idiom
  13. toast — bread
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. object — to protest
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. fall — to drop
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. wax — to grow
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. bat — for baseball
  22. cue — a signal
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. bark — to shout

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