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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. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. ball — a great time
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. dip — to sink
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. bank — of a river
  8. bank — for money
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. lean — thin
  11. bank — for money
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. fork — in a road
  16. ball — a dance
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. sharp — clever
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. bass — low music
  21. lean — to bend
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. fork — to eat with

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