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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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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. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. firm — a company
  9. foot — a measure
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. firm — decided
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. bark — to shout
  14. fork — in a road
  15. perch — the fish
  16. firm — steady
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. fork — to eat with

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