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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: bass · suit · trunk · bark · clip · craft · lie · pound

  1. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. clip — to cut
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. suit — to fit
  5. bark — to shout
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. craft — a skill
  8. suit — in cards
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. craft — boats
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. lie — to recline
  16. bass — low music
  17. clip — for paper
  18. pound — a weight
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. bass — the fish
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. clip — a video
  24. suit — clothes

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