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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 120 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: rule · mark · plane · game · bark · bore · object · wax

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. wax — to grow
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. bark — to shout
  5. plane — a tool
  6. mark — a trace
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. bore — to tire
  10. bore — to drill
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. rule — a law
  13. object — a thing
  14. game — a match
  15. object — to protest
  16. mark — a grade
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. rule — government
  19. game — wild animals
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. object — an aim
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. wax — for sculpting
  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