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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: bark · wax · hide · shower · board · press · leaves · craft

  1. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. wax — for sculpting
  2. board — a committee
  3. press — newspapers
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. press — to push
  7. shower — to wash
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. bark — to shout
  11. shower — rain
  12. board — to get on
  13. craft — boats
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. press — a publisher
  19. craft — a skill
  20. wax — to grow
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. wax — in the ear

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