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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: bark · bay · scale · band · race · chip · coach · mark

  1. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. mark — a trace
  5. bark — to shout
  6. race — humankind
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. chip — to eat
  11. band — a ring
  12. mark — a grade
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. chip — for betting
  16. band — a music group
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. scale — size or range
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. scale — in music
  23. race — a contest
  24. bay — a horse colour

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