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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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  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. rest — a break
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. bark — to shout
  4. pass — a permit
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. rest — what's left
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. rest — what's left
  22. branch — a division
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  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