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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.

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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: spell · bass · deal · pass · chair · trunk · cell · bark

  1. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  14. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. deal — to handle
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. chair — a leader
  7. bass — the fish
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. bass — low music
  11. bark — to shout
  12. spell — a short time
  13. cell — in biology
  14. cell — a phone
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. pass — a permit
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. spell — letters
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. spell — magic

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