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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. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. tube — the underground
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. wake — a trail
  5. mug — a face
  6. mug — a cup
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. bank — for money
  9. object — to protest
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. deal — to handle
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. mug — to rob
  15. object — a thing
  16. tube — a container
  17. bank — for money
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. object — an aim
  21. bark — to shout
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. bank — of a river

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