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

Word bank: race · cap · coach · kick · bay · bark

  1. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. race — the arms race
  3. cap — a lid
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. cap — a hat
  9. kick — in football
  10. race — humankind
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. bark — to shout
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. race — a contest
  18. bay — a horse colour

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