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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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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: cue · bank · bark · scale · bear · coach

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. bark — to shout
  3. bear — the animal
  4. bear — the animal
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. cue — for pool
  10. bank — for money
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. bank — of a river
  13. scale — in music
  14. cue — a signal
  15. scale — size or range
  16. cue — a hint
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. bear — to put up 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