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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.

Make a worksheet

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. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. bank — for money
  7. lie — to recline
  8. bass — low music
  9. bank — of a river
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. kick — in football
  12. ball — a dance
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. bass — the fish
  19. bank — for money
  20. ball — a great time
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. bark — to shout
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. sharp — clever

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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