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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: date · key · bark · mark · rush · perch · wax · hide

  1. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. Have you settled on a ________________?
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. date — the fruit
  7. key — the most important part
  8. wax — to grow
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. rush — hurry
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. key — in music
  15. perch — the fish
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. mark — a grade
  18. key — for a lock
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. mark — a trace
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. bark — to shout
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. bark — of a tree

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