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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
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: fan · dip · swing · bear · bank · pit · bark · rash

  1. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. bear — the animal
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. dip — to sink
  6. swing — music
  7. bear — the animal
  8. rash — hasty
  9. bark — to shout
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. bank — for money
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. bank — for money
  16. rash — a series
  17. swing — in golf
  18. pit — in a race
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. bank — of a river
  23. pit — a hole
  24. swing — to play on

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