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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. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. object — to protest
  5. court — of law
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. object — a thing
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. bear — the animal
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. track — a song
  15. object — an aim
  16. court — of a king
  17. court — for sport
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. bark — to shout
  20. track — to keep track
  21. bear — the animal
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. track — a path

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