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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 · rest · bark · kick · mug · toast · can · trunk

  1. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — a drink to someone
  2. bass — low music
  3. can — a tin
  4. rest — what's left
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. mug — to rob
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. rest — a break
  11. can — a tin
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. mug — a face
  15. rest — what's left
  16. toast — bread
  17. mug — a cup
  18. bass — the fish
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. kick — in football
  22. can — to be able to
  23. bark — to shout
  24. kick — a thrill

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