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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. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. roll — a list
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. saw — the tool
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. bark — to shout
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. bass — the fish
  15. pitch — completely
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. saw — the tool
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. roll — a cake
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. bass — low music

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