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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. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. bass — the fish
  5. rock — music
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. squash — to crush
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. rock — a stone
  14. bass — low music
  15. season — of the year
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. squash — the sport
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. season — in sport
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. bark — to shout

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