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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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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. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. rock — a stone
  3. bass — the fish
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. bark — to shout
  8. plane — a tool
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. bass — low music
  11. can — a tin
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. can — a tin
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. dip — to sink
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. can — to be able to
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. rock — music
  24. coach — a trainer

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