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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: mark · bark · saw · bass · hide · coach · plane · race

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. mark — a trace
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. bark — to shout
  10. saw — the tool
  11. race — the arms race
  12. race — humankind
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. mark — a grade
  17. saw — the tool
  18. bass — low music
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. race — a contest
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. plane — a tool

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