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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: dip · trunk · pop · key · perch · hide · band · wave

  1. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a ring
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. band — a music group
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. pop — soda
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. pop — music
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. pop — to visit
  16. key — the most important part
  17. key — for a lock
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. dip — to sink
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. perch — the fish
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. key — in music

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