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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. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. perch — the fish
  3. ground — crushed
  4. bank — of a river
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. ground — the earth
  7. ground — a position
  8. bank — for money
  9. dip — to sink
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. ball — a great time
  16. bank — for money
  17. chair — a leader
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. chair — to sit on
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. bark — to shout
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. ball — a dance

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