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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 120 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: lie · wax · dip · deal · bear · hide · stick · bark

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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. hide — animal skin
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. lie — to recline
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. bear — the animal
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. bear — the animal
  15. wax — to grow
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. bark — to shout
  20. dip — to sink
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. deal — to handle
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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