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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 · dip · leaves · firm · kick · hide · bass · band

  1. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. bass — low music
  3. band — a music group
  4. dip — to sink
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. firm — a company
  8. firm — steady
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. bass — the fish
  14. bark — to shout
  15. kick — in football
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. firm — decided
  18. band — a ring
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. dip — to dunk

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