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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 120 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.

Make a worksheet

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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Word bank
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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. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. scale — in music
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. firm — steady
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. ball — a great time
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. ball — a dance
  17. firm — a company
  18. firm — decided
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. scale — size or range
  21. bark — to shout
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. fan — to cool the air

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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