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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: object · hide · season · bark · capital · calf · bass · bank

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. capital — a big letter
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. bank — for money
  9. bank — of a river
  10. object — a thing
  11. season — of the year
  12. bark — to shout
  13. season — in sport
  14. bass — low music
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. object — an aim
  18. object — to protest
  19. capital — money
  20. bank — for money
  21. bass — the fish
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. capital — a city
  24. calf — a young animal

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