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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 · temple · cell · track · bark · can · hide · scale

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  13. He was locked up in a ________________.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. track — to keep track
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. track — a song
  6. bark — to shout
  7. can — a tin
  8. can — to be able to
  9. cell — in biology
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. cell — a phone
  13. cell — in a prison
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. track — a path
  16. bass — the fish
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. bass — low music
  19. can — a tin
  20. scale — in music
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. scale — size or range
  24. hide — to keep secret

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