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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: pop · bay · temple · bark · lie · rash · wave · coach

  1. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. pop — soda
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. pop — to visit
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. lie — to recline
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. pop — music
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. bark — to shout
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. rash — a series
  24. coach — a trainer

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