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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: wave · rule · bark · board · present · wax · mark · rock

  1. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. board — to get on
  4. rock — music
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. board — a committee
  8. mark — a trace
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. rule — a law
  12. wax — to grow
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. present — the time now
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. present — a gift
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. present — there
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. mark — a grade
  23. rock — a stone
  24. bark — to shout

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