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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: bark · bass · wind · mug · pass · drill · saw · object

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  11. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. mug — to rob
  3. saw — the tool
  4. bass — the fish
  5. mug — a cup
  6. saw — the tool
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. drill — the tool
  9. bark — to shout
  10. wind — to turn a key
  11. wind — moving air
  12. drill — a practice
  13. pass — a permit
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. object — to protest
  16. wind — moving air
  17. drill — army training
  18. object — an aim
  19. object — a thing
  20. bass — low music
  21. mug — a face
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. bark — of a tree

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