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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.

Make a worksheet

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
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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: dip · staff · march · pound · hide · charge · perch · bass

  1. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. staff — employees
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. march — the month
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. pound — a weight
  9. staff — a stick
  10. charge — electricity
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. perch — the fish
  14. charge — a price
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. bass — the fish
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. march — music
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. bass — low music
  21. dip — to sink
  22. charge — in control
  23. staff — employees
  24. dip — a sauce

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