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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. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. pit — a hole
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. pit — in a race
  6. toast — bread
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. can — a tin
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. bark — to shout
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. can — to be able to
  14. rest — what's left
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. can — a tin
  17. mug — a face
  18. rest — what's left
  19. mug — a cup
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. mug — to rob
  23. rest — a break
  24. bass — the fish

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