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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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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: scale · dip · tube · coach · bark · suit · bowl · leaves

  1. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. dip — to sink
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. suit — to fit
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. bark — to shout
  8. suit — clothes
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. scale — in music
  11. scale — size or range
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. tube — the underground
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. tube — a container
  23. suit — in cards
  24. dip — to dunk

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