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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: drill · dip · foot · perch · hide · bass

  1. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. bass — the fish
  4. drill — a practice
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. bass — low music
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. dip — to sink
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. drill — the tool
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. perch — the fish
  17. foot — a measure
  18. drill — army training

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