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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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  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. stick — a piece of wood
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. fine — all right
  4. club — for golf
  5. bark — to shout
  6. track — a path
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. track — to keep track
  13. fine — high quality
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. track — a song
  22. club — for dancing
  23. club — a group
  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