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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: bark · scale · rock · temple · lean · hide · pit · saw

  1. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. saw — the tool
  4. rock — music
  5. scale — size or range
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. lean — to bend
  8. lean — thin
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. saw — the tool
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. scale — in music
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. rock — a stone
  22. pit — in a race
  23. pit — a hole
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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