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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: mug · face · bark · chair · bank · bass · bowl · racket

  1. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. bark — to shout
  3. bass — low music
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. face — to confront
  6. chair — a leader
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. mug — a cup
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. bank — for money
  14. chair — to sit on
  15. bass — the fish
  16. face — part of the head
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. bank — for money
  19. mug — to rob
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. bank — of a river
  22. face — to point toward
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. mug — a face

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