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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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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: kick · foot · wax · mark · bark · rule · saw · stick

  1. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. mark — a grade
  4. mark — a trace
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. bark — to shout
  7. wax — to grow
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. rule — a law
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. kick — in football
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. saw — the tool
  19. rule — government
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. saw — the tool
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. mark — to pay attention

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