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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: foot · rock · wax · hide · bowl · bark · chip · roll

  1. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. rock — music
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. foot — a measure
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. wax — to grow
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. chip — for betting
  17. roll — a list
  18. bark — to shout
  19. rock — a stone
  20. roll — a cake
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. chip — to eat
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. rock — to move gently

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