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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: rush · wax · safe · bay · press · bark · cue · bulb

  1. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. press — to push
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. press — a publisher
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. bark — to shout
  7. cue — a hint
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. bulb — for light
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. rush — hurry
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. wax — to grow
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. cue — a signal
  19. bulb — for light
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. cue — for pool
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. press — newspapers
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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