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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
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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: mark · toast · lie · coach · calf · saw · deal · bark

  1. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. deal — to handle
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. toast — bread
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. bark — to shout
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. mark — a grade
  11. saw — the tool
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. lie — to recline
  16. saw — the tool
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. mark — a trace
  23. lie — an untruth
  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