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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 116 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. rock — a stone
  3. bass — the fish
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. court — of law
  7. bass — low music
  8. mug — a cup
  9. mug — to rob
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. bark — to shout
  12. mug — a face
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. court — of a king
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. spring — the season
  18. rock — music
  19. spring — of water
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. court — for sport
  24. spring — a coil

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