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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: pass · firm · wax · bark · can · roll · bulb · rush

  1. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. wax — to grow
  7. bulb — for light
  8. can — to be able to
  9. roll — a cake
  10. bulb — for light
  11. can — a tin
  12. firm — a company
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. pass — a permit
  15. rush — hurry
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. roll — a list
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. firm — steady
  20. can — a tin
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. bark — to shout
  24. firm — decided

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