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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 120 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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. spell — a short time
  4. bank — for money
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. stand — to bear
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. bark — to shout
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. root — the cause
  17. spell — magic
  18. root — of a plant
  19. root — of a word
  20. spell — letters
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. bank — of a river
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. bank — for money

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