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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: wax · bark · suit · perch · hide · cue · spring · craft

  1. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. suit — to fit
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. spring — the season
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. craft — a skill
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. suit — in cards
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. bark — to shout
  13. craft — boats
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. spring — a coil
  16. wax — to grow
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. cue — for pool
  19. cue — a hint
  20. spring — of water
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. suit — clothes
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. perch — the fish

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