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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: tube · jam · toast · coach · bank · bark · bay · club

  1. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. tube — a container
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. toast — bread
  6. bank — of a river
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. tube — the underground
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. club — for golf
  12. bark — to shout
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. club — a group
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. bank — for money
  21. bank — for money
  22. club — for dancing
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. jam — a tight spot

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