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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 sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. bark — to shout
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. saw — the tool
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. foot — a measure
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. saw — the tool
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. lie — to recline
  20. snap — to click
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. leaves — of a tree

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