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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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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: hide · bass · pit · craft · bank · cue · dip · roll

  1. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. dip — to sink
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. pit — a hole
  5. bank — for money
  6. cue — a hint
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. bank — for money
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. roll — a list
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. pit — in a race
  13. craft — boats
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. bass — the fish
  16. roll — a cake
  17. cue — for pool
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. craft — a skill
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. bank — of a river
  22. bass — low music
  23. cue — a signal
  24. hide — animal skin

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