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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: chair · saw · dip · lash · bass · cabinet · pit · bark

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. bark — to shout
  7. saw — the tool
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. pit — a hole
  10. bass — the fish
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. bass — low music
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. saw — the tool
  21. dip — to sink
  22. chair — a leader
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. chair — a professorship

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