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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
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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 · bear · drill · stick · lash · suit · lean · wax

  1. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. drill — a practice
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. wax — to grow
  6. suit — in cards
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. suit — clothes
  14. lean — thin
  15. drill — army training
  16. bear — the animal
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. bark — to shout
  20. drill — the tool
  21. lean — to bend
  22. suit — to fit
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. bear — the animal

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