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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: object · saw · file · lean · deal · bark · coach · club

  1. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. saw — the tool
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. saw — the tool
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. deal — to handle
  10. lean — to bend
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. club — for golf
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. file — a document
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. bark — to shout
  17. file — a tool
  18. object — to protest
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. lean — thin
  21. club — for dancing
  22. object — a thing
  23. club — a group
  24. object — an aim

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