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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 120 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. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. suit — clothes
  3. field — for sport
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. suit — in cards
  7. field — a subject
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. foot — a measure
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. field — farmland
  12. firm — a company
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. firm — decided
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. firm — steady
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. bark — to shout
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. suit — to fit
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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