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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: temple · bass · trunk · hide · can · mouse · saw · leaves

  1. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. bass — the fish
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. saw — the tool
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. can — a tin
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. can — a tin
  16. saw — the tool
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. bass — low music
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. bass — the instrument

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