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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 116 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
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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: bark · saw · calf · bass · mug · squash · pound · scale

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. mug — a face
  4. scale — size or range
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. saw — the tool
  8. bass — low music
  9. saw — the tool
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. mug — to rob
  14. squash — to crush
  15. mug — a cup
  16. bark — to shout
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. scale — in music
  20. squash — the sport
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. pound — a weight
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. squash — the vegetable

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