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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: arm · board · craft · bass · bark · stick · prune · wax

  1. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. bass — the fish
  6. board — to get on
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. bass — low music
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. craft — boats
  13. prune — to trim
  14. craft — a skill
  15. wax — to grow
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. bark — to shout
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. board — a committee
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. prune — to trim
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. arm — part of the body

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