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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: swing · dip · rest · bark · trunk · bass · root · foot

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. root — of a word
  3. bass — low music
  4. swing — music
  5. swing — to play on
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. rest — what's left
  8. swing — in golf
  9. rest — what's left
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. bass — the fish
  13. bark — to shout
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. foot — a measure
  16. root — of a plant
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. root — the cause
  22. rest — a break
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. bass — the instrument

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