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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: bark · wax · wind · arm · wound · press · current · calf

  1. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. bark — to shout
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. wind — moving air
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. current — happening now
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. wound — an injury
  9. wax — to grow
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. press — to push
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. wind — to turn a key
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. current — electric
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. wind — moving air
  20. press — a publisher
  21. wound — an injury
  22. current — of water
  23. arm — a part of something
  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