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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 124 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.

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: trunk · bass · sharp · rock · fall · coach · bay · lie

  1. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. sharp — clever
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. fall — the season
  10. fall — to drop
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. bass — low music
  14. rock — a stone
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. lie — to recline
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. bass — the fish
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. fall — to drop
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. rock — music

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