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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 116 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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: track · bay · kid · fine · bowl · coach

  1. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. track — to keep track
  5. fine — high quality
  6. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. kid — to tease
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. track — a song
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. kid — child
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. track — a path
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. fine — all right

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