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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.

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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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. chest — of your body
  3. bass — low music
  4. branch — a division
  5. pass — a permit
  6. mug — to rob
  7. chest — a box
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. bark — to shout
  10. ball — a great time
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. mug — a face
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. ball — a dance
  16. bass — the fish
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. mug — a cup
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. chest — of your body

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