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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. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. bank — for money
  4. mark — a grade
  5. season — of the year
  6. staff — employees
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. mark — a trace
  9. ball — a great time
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. staff — a stick
  13. staff — employees
  14. ball — a dance
  15. bank — of a river
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. bank — for money
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. bark — to shout
  24. season — in sport

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