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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. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. bank — of a river
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. hand — in cards
  9. bank — for money
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. rest — a break
  12. lie — to recline
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. bark — to shout
  15. rest — what's left
  16. hand — help
  17. rest — what's left
  18. pop — to visit
  19. pass — a permit
  20. pop — music
  21. bank — for money
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. coach — a trainer

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