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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: date · cue · craft · bay · bark · wax · present · fall

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. Have you settled on a ________________?
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. cue — a hint
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. bark — to shout
  7. present — there
  8. fall — the season
  9. fall — to drop
  10. date — the fruit
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. craft — boats
  14. present — the time now
  15. wax — to grow
  16. cue — a signal
  17. cue — for pool
  18. present — a gift
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. fall — to drop
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. craft — a skill
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. bay — a horse colour

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