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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 soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. fork — in a road
  4. bark — to shout
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. scale — in music
  7. stand — to bear
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. drill — the tool
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. swing — music
  18. drill — a practice
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. swing — to play on
  22. scale — size or range
  23. swing — in golf
  24. fork — to eat with

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