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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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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: trunk · mug · leaves · race · bark · saw · bass · dip

  1. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. bass — the fish
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. dip — to sink
  5. saw — the tool
  6. saw — the tool
  7. race — humankind
  8. race — the arms race
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. bass — low music
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. mug — a face
  16. race — a contest
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. mug — a cup
  23. bark — to shout
  24. leaves — lets stay

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