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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.

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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. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. ground — a position
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. bark — to shout
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. current — of water
  8. track — a path
  9. tear — from crying
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. track — to keep track
  12. ground — crushed
  13. current — happening now
  14. tear — to rip
  15. pass — a permit
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. current — electric
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. tear — from crying
  22. track — a song
  23. ground — the earth
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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