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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
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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: hide · cold · bark · band · temple · pitcher · toast · cabinet

  1. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. The water is too ________________.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. cold — an illness
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. band — a ring
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. cold — the Cold War
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. cold — not warm
  17. toast — bread
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. band — a music group
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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