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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. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. band — a music group
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. band — a ring
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. dip — to sink
  8. bulb — for light
  9. bulb — for light
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. bass — low music
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. bark — to shout
  15. bass — the fish
  16. prune — to trim
  17. foot — a measure
  18. prune — to trim
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. vault — a safe
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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