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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: firm · roll · bear · dip · ground · arm · bass · trunk

  1. There's no middle ________________.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. ground — the earth
  3. dip — to sink
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. firm — decided
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. roll — a cake
  10. firm — a company
  11. bass — low music
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. bass — the fish
  14. roll — a list
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. ground — crushed
  18. bear — the animal
  19. bear — the animal
  20. firm — steady
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. dip — a sauce

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