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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 116 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: land · mouse · swing · dip · plane · perch · hide · bark

  1. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. swing — to play on
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. swing — music
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. bark — to shout
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. perch — the fish
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. dip — to sink
  17. land — a country
  18. land — to come down
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. land — ground
  22. swing — in golf
  23. plane — a tool
  24. dip — a sauce

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