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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: bass · bank · jam · kick · bark · dip · field · saw

  1. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  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. dip — to dunk
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. saw — the tool
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. dip — to sink
  7. bank — for money
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. saw — the tool
  11. bank — for money
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. bass — low music
  14. field — for sport
  15. bass — the fish
  16. field — farmland
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. kick — in football
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. bark — to shout
  21. bank — of a river
  22. field — a subject
  23. dip — a sauce
  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