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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: bark · bass · hide · scale · dip · march · safe · pop

  1. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. pop — music
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. march — the month
  8. pop — to visit
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. march — the month
  11. dip — to sink
  12. bass — the fish
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. scale — size or range
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. scale — in music
  18. pop — soda
  19. bass — low music
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. bark — to shout

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