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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. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  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. bass — low music
  3. rock — a stone
  4. suit — in cards
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. suit — to fit
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. mark — a trace
  9. season — in sport
  10. bass — the fish
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. fall — the season
  13. fall — to drop
  14. fall — to drop
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. suit — clothes
  17. season — of the year
  18. mark — a grade
  19. rock — music
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. wave — with your hand
  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