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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: rush · wax · stand · rule · saw · branch · stick · bark

  1. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. bark — to shout
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. rule — government
  10. rush — hurry
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. branch — a division
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. saw — the tool
  19. wax — to grow
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. saw — the tool
  22. rule — a law
  23. stand — to bear
  24. rush — a thrill

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