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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 fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. Have you settled on a ________________?
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. band — a ring
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. bark — to shout
  5. can — a tin
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. can — to be able to
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. bass — low music
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. date — the fruit
  16. foot — a measure
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. band — a music group
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. prune — to trim
  21. can — a tin
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. prune — to trim

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