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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 120 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 · perch · bear · bark · ball · rush · mate · hide

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. bark — to shout
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. bear — the animal
  7. rush — hurry
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. bass — low music
  12. ball — a great time
  13. bass — the fish
  14. mate — a partner
  15. bear — the animal
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. mate — a friend
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. perch — the fish
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. mate — to breed
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. rush — to hurry

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