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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.

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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: bass · trunk · band · pound · dip · toast · content · bark

  1. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. bark — to shout
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. dip — to sink
  7. band — a ring
  8. bass — low music
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. band — a music group
  11. content — the amount
  12. toast — bread
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. bass — the fish
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. content — happy
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. pound — a weight
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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